


Familiar Manipulation

by ArtistAtHeart1



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Batfamily Feels, Bruce keeps some secrets, Court of Owls, Damian Wayne is Robin, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Gen, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Overprotective Bruce Wayne, Protective Bruce Wayne, Secrets, Sequel, Temporary Amnesia, Tim Drake is Red Robin, amnesiac Dick Grayson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-06-23 22:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 27,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15616485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtistAtHeart1/pseuds/ArtistAtHeart1
Summary: Two months after the events of Dick's abduction, Dick is on the mend.  After finding out about secrets that Bruce had been keeping since, Dick gets in an accident and loses his memory.  AS everyone, especially Jason and Bruce, get even more concerned with Dick, Dick starts to venture out of the house on his own.   Little do they know that during these ventures, Dick is meeting with someone he has forgotten.  Someone who's intentions are less than pure.  Sequel to Breaking you, which should be read if you haven't yet.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this. Again if you're coming here and haven't read Breaking You I recommend that you do as this will have elements that were brought up in Breaking You. Also, this fic is on Fanfiction if you're interested.

The sounds of uncomfortable groans echoed through the rocky interior of the Batcave. Limply spread out on a gurney, Dick could only watch as the casts were in the beginning stages of removal. Light cracking of the exterior caused him to twitch while Bruce's less than soft unraveling of them was discomforting.

"Quit your whining." Jason complained. "I know this isn't hurting you."

"But it feels weird." Dick argued.

"Suck it up buttercup."

Bruce ignored their banter, not wanting to get involved in their playful spat. He kept his focus on Dick's feet as he proceeded to unwrap the bandages on the right one. He took a good look at the exposed body part. There wasn't any swelling and the stitches were finally gone. All that was left was a progressively diminishing scar. He lightly ran a finger over the scars on both sides of the foot. He could tell that it was still a little tender, and a slight flinch from Dick confirmed his theory.

Bruce set that foot down before moving onto the next. The left foot proved to be exactly the same as the right. No problems other than the scars and tenderness. He gently set the foot down, allowing the leg to stretch out a little.

Dick and Jason's bickering had thankfully come to a stop. It had changed to Jason making a few routine suggestions while Dick tried to suggest that he get out of the manor's property and stretch his legs. It wasn't a bad suggestion, but it was one that Jason stated would be considered after he's had a little more time to heal.

"Let's see what we have to work with." Bruce declared, tapping Dick's leg.

"Okay." Dick replied, swinging his feet over.

Dick stared at the ground for a moment, mentally preparing himself to take that first step. Taking a deep breath, he hopped down from the lounge like structure. He stumbled for a moment, before immediately regaining his balance. Dick stood there for a moment, Jason and Bruce both ready to grab him, before deciding to take a step.

He was able to take a few steps before his legs gave out. Bruce and Jason both reacted, but Jason was the one who caught Dick.

"Looks like we know where to start." Bruce deduced. "We'll just have to work on balance and coordinating a plan to get you walking. If you want to stand, you'll have to have to use something, or someone for support. Other than that, you're in good health, so you're free to leave the cave."

"I'll carry him up." Jason stated.

"It's only fair." Dick chuckled. "Bruce brought me down and you caught me. Plus, I doubt either of you want me to try to acrobat my way up the stairs."

"Of course not. Walking on your hands only get you so far, and there's no way we're about to let you flip your way out of here."

Propping his free arm around Dick's legs, Jason lifted Dick off the ground. As Jason made his way towards the stairs, Dick glanced behind them.

"You coming up?" Dick questioned, causing Jason to stop.

Looking back himself, Jason noticed that Bruce hadn't moved an inch.

"I'll be up in a minute." Bruce replied, a pleasant grin on his face. "I've got to get an update to Leslie so that I can get some physical therapy tips for your current condition."

"Okay."

Jason continued his trek up the stairs, leaving Bruce behind. He exited through the clock, Dick's wheelchair waiting patiently for them. Jason carefully sat Dick on the mobile chair, making sure that Dick was comfortable.

"Thank you." Dick calmly sighed, resting his hands on the wheels.

Dick's immediate silence was a little concerning. Jason though that he would be happier that he was healing really well.

"You okay?" Jason asked.

A deep sigh emerged from Dick as a small smile graced his face.

"Yeah."

The sound of things crashing to the ground caught their attention. It was followed up by the sounds of Damian and Tim arguing. Dick's smirk instantly turned into an amused grin as Jason rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"That didn't take long." Dick chuckled, starting to roll the wheelchair around.

"I thought they agreed to get along." Jason scoffed.

"They've been cooped up for two month Jason. Give them a break."

Dick scooted down the hallway with Jason not too far behind. They found Damian and Tim in the foyer, a shattered vase on the ground. Watching them was Titus, confused by the argument.

"What's going on?" Dick investigated, catching the trio's attention.

Tim and Damian didn't initially respond, wanting to calm down before speaking.

"Titus knocked the vase over." Tim stated.

"He didn't mean to." Damian defended. "I just got home and he just got excited."

"Okay, and why did that cause an argument?"

"Because Drake insulted my handling of Titus." Damian barked.

"All I said was that he needs to work on taming Titus' energy better." Tim replied. "He's a big dog and sometimes he doesn't realize it. Even Ace is calmer than he is, and he's considered one of the 'vicious' breeds."

"You both have good arguments." Dick deduced, causing Tim and Damian to moan with annoyance.

He whistled, causing Titus to come to him. The giant dog rested his head on his lap, pleading for attention. A tail started to wag as Dick began scratching behind Titus' ear.

"Damian has trained him well Tim." Dick defended. "For the most part, he's a well-mannered dog, who loves Damian. However, that's the problem at times. He is a big ball of energy, literally, and he forgets just how big he is. If anything, he needs a little discipline in that area."

"Since when did you become a dog expert?" Jason inquired.

"Since Ace tackled me the day he was brought home."

The aggravation for the situation still bounced between Tim and Damian.

"Look, you both have your grievances, but this isn't something you need to fight about."

Tim scoffed, storming up the stairs. Not wanting to follow Tim, Damian stomped to the kitchen. Dick let out a troubled sigh as Titus bolted after his favorite person.

For the last week and a half Tim and Damian's irritation with each other seemed to increase. While they had agreed to get along during his first round of recovery two months ago, they seemed to let it continue on into Dick's current recovery. He wasn't sure what was causing it, but Dick knew it was a recent affair.

"They'll get over it." Jason admitted.

"I know." Dick agreed. "It's just, they've been getting along so well. Sure, it wasn't bound to last forever, but I still would have preferred that they continued to get along during this."

"I wouldn't worry too much about." Jason grabbed the wheelchair's handles. "Why don't we get you outside? The day's nice and you've been cooped up in the cave for a while."

"Sure."

Dick may not have seemed too enthused, but Jason knew he'd like it once he got outside. With all the time that Jason dedicated to supervising Dick, he had developed enough intuition to know what Dick needed. Not that he minded.

Jason allowed Dick to guide him. This allowed Dick to have some freedom with his limited mobility. Jason may not have been needed, but his presence did give Dick companionship, which Dick always enjoyed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick struggles with regaining balance and Tim's attitude is addressed.

Everyone was huddled in the kitchen for breakfast. Dick was carefully attempting to stand, using the counter for support. Help wasn't too far from him with his wheelchair sitting beside him and Jason was a few steps away, keeping a good eye on him. Then there was Bruce, who looked ready to pounce at any given moment. As much as it annoyed Alfred, Bruce made it known that Dick had to work on standing up and balance.

Dick was supporting his weight pretty well. He was enjoying the meal, the morning banter keeping his mind off of his predicament. That was until Damian and Tim started another round of arguing. This time over Tim's "negligence" towards the Titans. When Tim tried to argue his necessity for the current events, Damian shot it down with the notion of Tim's services "no longer being required".

All it did was irk Dick, who was just glad that Tim chose to be around. He didn't want to start his morning off like this. He just wasn't in the mood for it. Unfortunately the only way to get away from it, he needed to excuse himself.

"Thanks Alfred." Dick kindly complemented with his empty plate in hand.

Dick was about to take a step towards the sink when his legs gave out. Jason was instantly there to catch him and place him in his seat. Jason made sure that he was okay, which he claimed that he was. Once settled, Dick left the room, leaving everyone behind.

"Now look what you did." Damian lectured. "You made him feel unwelcomed."

"Me?" Tim argued. "You're the one who started it."

"Knock it off." Jason lectured. "You both caused it."

~

Dick was practicing some balance. Bruce brought up a pair of low rising bars. He took over for Jason, who was slightly feverish and needed to rest. Because of that, Bruce stayed in the room in case Dick needed help.

Dick used the bars to help support his weight and to use for taking small steps. Whenever his balance faltered, he firmly held onto the bars and raised his feet off the ground. Once adjusted, Dick lowered his legs back down, carefully making sure his footing was alright.

Dick lost his footing stumbling against one of the bars. Bruce took several steps towards Dick before Dick put a hand up to stop him. Dick slowly stood back up and dragged himself back to the wheelchair. As he sat down his hand gently supported his head.

He was starting to get frustrated by how slow his progress was. It may have only been a few days and should expect it to take time, but it irritated him. He was expecting the recovery to be as smooth as his sprained ankle was and it wasn't giving him that satisfaction.

Bruce could feel Dick's frustration and walked towards him. It didn't take much for him to figure out why, but it was still pretty noticeable.

"Hey, it's okay." Bruce comforted, kneeling in front of him. "I know you want this to blow over quickly, but your body still needs time."

"It's not fair." Dick growled.

"I know. If I could go back stop this from happening, I would. You have to be patient."

"Bruce." Tim called, entering the room.

Bruce and Dick's attention fell on him. Tim was a little puzzled, realizing that he had interrupted them.

"Alfred has to get Damian and wants you to keep an eye on Jason. Apparently he's been having sporadic vomits and shouldn't be left alone."

"Why can't you?"

"I'm dealing with some evidence that the Titans are sending me."

Bruce sighed in annoyance. He didn't want to leave Dick unattended to. Especially with his disheartened frustration.

"It's okay." Dick admitted. "Jason could use the attention. Besides, Babs wants to video chat with me since I wasn't able to yesterday because of my appointment with Leslie."

~

Tensions only seemed to increase as Tim seemed to grow more and more irritated. It started with him and Damian having another disagreement. It wasn't a major issue and was easily dispelled by Bruce, but it did seem to set Tim off.

Then Tim and Bruce started to fight. Bruce didn't particularly like that Tim had been secluding himself and not helping out as much around the house. Tim only told that he wanted to be alone.

It was the disagreement with Jason that really set him off. Jason hounded him for every little thing once Jason allowed Dick to move around on his own. Jason wanted to address Tim's behavior as of late, but all Tim did was snap. It pissed Jason off. Tim wasn't known for snapping at him so easily. Not these days anyways.

Jason thought it could be because Tim was stuck in the manor for so long and it was finally starting to get to him. But he wasn't the only one. Outside of Damian, who had academic obligations, none of the former Robins have gotten out much at all. And with Bruce cooping up in the Batcave for hours on end and patrolling on his own, none of them have able to unwind.

It wasn't until, out of frustration, Jason stated how they all had to make some sacrifices that Tim really got irked. Jason mentioned how Dick wasn't complaining about his lack of mobility or independence. With that, he commented that if it was so bad that Tim should just leave.

"You're right." Tim shouted, storming out of the room. "I'm out of here."

Dick grabbed Jason's wrist, stopping him from chasing after him. Clearly Dick had heard enough of the commotion. By the time Jason looked back, Tim was gone and no one chased after him. Dick tugged at Jason's sleeve in an attempt to pull him aside.

"Let me guess, you want to talk with him." Jason assumed.

"No." Dick disagreed. "I want you to, but I don't want you to until you calm down a little."

Jason glared at him with confusion.

"I've been thinking. I have a feeling Tim's current attitude has something to do with me."

"That can't be it. Besides, if anyone can get through to him, it's you."

Dick sigh with a puzzled smirk on his face. While that was generally true, he knew that there were some exceptions.

"Believe it or not, he doesn't tell me everything. There are things that I know he hides from me. Things that he can't talk to me about. I also know there are things that he tells you that he can't tell anyone else. That's why you need to talk to him. Let's face it, everyone's attention has been on me lately. And if my hypothesis is correct, I doubt I'm the best candidate to talk to him about what's wrong."

Jason couldn't argue with that. Dick had a point.

"Alright."

Dick was right, Tim hadn't left. He was sitting in the backyard watching a family of robins taking turns cleaning themselves in the bird bath. It appeared that Tim had cooled down.

"Hey Timbo." Jason greeted, sitting beside him without giving Tim the chance to refuse.

Tim did really say anything. Not an uncommon trait, but one that was a little troubling in the current setting. Jason knew he was going to have to take the first step.

"What's going on?" Jason questioned. "You're not usually like this."

Tim didn't respond. Jason decided to investigate. Remembering Dick's hypothesis, he started there.

"Is it because of Dick?"

Tim's head nudged slightly, as though to deny it. It wasn't very convincing, but Jason let him take his time.

"I shouldn't feel this way." Tim admitted. "He's hurt."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're all so attentive to him. You need to, and I understand that, but I can' help but feel cast aside."

Tim deeply sighed.

"Now that he's safe and Slade no longer a threat, I don't feel like needed. I don't feel like I'm wanted."

Jason understood the sentiment. Admittedly, Tim did have a bigger role when Slade was on the hunt, but now that he wasn't, Tim's assistance wasn't as needed. It wasn't that they didn't want Tim around, it was the change in care that overshadowed Tim's presence. The feeling of neglect was an expected one. Jason slung an arm around Tim's shoulders.

"You're wanted." Jason admitted. "It's true that Dick's injuries and mental health have required a lot of attention, but that doesn't mean we've completely forgot about you. To be honest, I thought you enjoyed being able to have some you time. Without anyone bothering you, I thought you'd enjoy the independence."

"I do," Tim admitted, "but that doesn't mean I don't want at least some attention from you guys."

Jason smirked. Tim was being honest, that was for sure. He pulled Tim closer.

"I'll try to be more attentive." Jason promised. "If you promise to stay."

Tim grinned at Jason's offer.

"Okay."

"Then let's go back in. Our motherly older brother is waiting for an update."

Jason helped Tim get up, turning him towards the manor. He ruffled the teen's hair before nudging him in the right direction.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce begins to get more neglectful and no one seems to know why.

After spending a few hours of quality time with Tim while Bruce monitored Dick's physical therapy, Jason brought his attention back to his elder brother. Bruce had a few things he wanted to do anyways, so Jason decided to relieve him of his duty. Dick was in good spirits, having finally regained some balance. He could stand with little to no problem. Granted, he still needed to hold onto or lean against something for a bit, but he could stand.

Dick and Jason decided to play a few rounds of poker with Tim as the dealer. They weren't really betting on anything, but neither one was willing to lose. They both had one win under their belt and were working on a tie breaker.

Concentrations were broken as the sound of Damian roaming the halls. He entered the kitchen a little surprised to see them sitting there.

"I didn't know you played poker Grayson." Damian noted, stealing an apple from the fridge. "I thought you'd be too classy for such a game."

"I do sometimes." Dick admitted, pushing a few chips to the center of the table. "My father used to play every other Fridays with Haly and some of the guys and sometimes I'd watch. Plus, I spent a few weeks in Vegas, so it didn't hurt to learn."

Jason set several more chips in the center, exposing his cards with pride. Dick threw his cards down, laughing in success. His hand managed to narrowly beat out Jason's. Jason threw several curses at the loss as Dick continued to chuckle. The playfully competitive drama was enough to shoo Damian from the kitchen in annoyance.

Bruce entered the kitchen to check on the chaos. Seeing Jason's head on the table with shame and Dick with a wide grin wasn't unusual, but without much context, it was confusing. Not that it took long to figure out with the contents on the kitchen table and Tim's referee like persona.

"Hey Bruce." Dick greeted. "How was your talk with Leslie?"

"Not as entertaining as your game it would seem." Bruce replied. "She sends her love and a few more suggestions."

Bruce started to exit the room. An uninterested expression invited itself onto Bruce's face. He stopped at the doorway, glancing back at them.

"I've got to tie up the final pieces of your abduction case. Can you guys fend for yourselves while I do that?"

Dick's fun mood dampened. Hearing Bruce say that wasn't exactly what he wanted to hear. Especially with Bruce withdrawing himself a little more frequently.

"Can't you take a break?" Dick anxiously moaned. "You've been running yourself down the last few days now. Take a break."

Bruce gave him a smirk, noting Dick's concern. Bruce had been going between helping him and work, so it was only natural that Dick would vocalize his concerns.

"I wish I could Dick, but it has to get done."

"We'll figure something out." Jason accepted, his head no longer on the table. "Just don't take too long."

Dick sighed as he watched Bruce officially left the room. It bothered him that Bruce was choosing to withdraw himself.

"It's okay." Jason comforted, noting Dick's shift. "You got to remember that there's a lot that needs to get done. There's a lot that's been going on lately."

"But he's starting to get a little distant."

"Isn't that usually Bruce's thing?"

"Maybe, but not like this."

"I wouldn't worry too much about it. It'll get better."

~

Bruce's negligence only seemed to get worse. Bruce's seclusion had only increased over the following week. He was intent on hiding away in the Batcave, the excuses of talking with Leslie and a case to get away from the situation.

Even with Dick's walking getting stronger to the point that he could take several steps without distress, Bruce didn't give it much attention. He had been keeping an eye on Dick's progress, but he never seemed to hang around for long.

He ignored everyone in the room as he headed for the cave. The sound of Dick trying to stop him only seemed to fall on deaf ears. Dick just wanted to see Bruce, interact with him, but nothing seemed to work.

Jason decided to approach him, not wanting to leave Dick hanging. Dick was anxious. He was distraught by Bruce's cold shoulder, but didn't know how to approach it.

"Did I do something wrong?" Dick questioned.

"No." Jason denied.

"Then why does he keep avoiding me?"

News clips scattered around the screen as Bruce studied each one. Murders, accidents, and sightings were the topics at hand. Each one was connected by one subtle detail. Shadowy figures supposedly witness across Gotham. Some before accidents. Others were barely noticeable in the images captured for the paper.

The most intriguing thing Bruce noticed was what he found on the witnesses quotes and grainy images. They all had one thing in common. Haunting eyes that reflected like glass and dark slender frames. Something nightmarish was lurking in the shadows and it was on the move.

"You really ought to tell him about this." Alfred lectured.

"I can't." Bruce refused. "I won't put him through that."

"But they're starting to get steadily closer. How much longer do you think you can hide this?"

"I'll handle it."

"I agree with Alfred." A voice admitted.

Alfred and Bruce turned their sights to the voice. Their sights bringing them to the entrance of the cave, which was glowing with a frame in the middle. Jason was squarely standing in the doorway, a distasteful smirk on his face.

Bruce wasn't impressed as Jason made his way down the stairs. He didn't want anyone to waltz in on this. It was one thing that Alfred got involved, but that was only because Alfred didn't want to leave it be.

Jason observed the screen, reading the available headlines. _Nightmare Stalks Gotham. Owl Inspired Figure Seen Before Accident One Witness Says. Who's Behind the Murder of This Socialite?_ Jason wasn't too enthused with any of them.

"So this is why Dick feels so neglected." Jason observed. "I got to admit, I expected differently of you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reason behind Bruce's seclusion finally comes to light.

"This doesn't concern you Jason." Bruce lectured.

"But it does concern that man upstairs who thinks he did something wrong." Jason argued.

Jason glossed over the screen again. It wasn't any more impressive the second time around. It only seemed to annoy him more.

"Why are you even investigating this? It's not like they pose an immediate threat, if any."

Bruce didn't answer. Rather, his attention fell on the table right in front of Jason. Noting the shift, Jason looked at the table. There wasn't anything wrong with it, but it did have something peculiar on it. Several notes were neatly stacked on it.

Jason picked them up without hesitation. He inspected each one thoroughly. They each consisted only a few words and they weren't pleasant. They all consisted of the same topic with the same sinister undertone.

"How long have these been coming?" Jason interrogated, slamming the papers down. "And why haven't you told Dick?"

"He doesn't need to know."

Bruce's response flabbergasted Jason. With everything that had happened, Jason found the concept unheard of.

"He doesn't need to know?"

"These are the same people that Slade was going to pawn Dick off to for his own benefit."

Jason picked the papers back up, aggressively sorting through them.

" _You can't hide our Gray Son. We will find him and we will take our Gray Son. You owe us our Gray Son._ Bruce, they're threatening to take Dick and you think he _doesn't_ need to know? After all he's been through?"

"That's precisely why he doesn't need to know!" Bruce loudly admitted.

Bruce's anger finally surfaced. Jason's investigation only fueled his aggravation for the situation. It was bad enough that Jason walked in on what was supposed to be a secret, but the fact that Jason was trying to lecture him that set him off.

In his mind, Bruce believed that Dick needed peace. Routine. Dick deserved to recover without knowing all of the underlying issues. That was the last thing Bruce thought he needed.

"It's bad enough that he went through what he did." Bruce stated. "I can't burden him with the mere notion that the Court of Owls have set their sights on him. That wouldn't not fair."

"What's not fair is that he's reaching out for you and you're ignoring him. It's not fair that you're hiding this from him when he deserves to know what's after him. And because of your decision to hide this from him, you've started to neglect him Bruce."

"I am not neglecting him. I spend every morning talking with him. Interacting with him. I'm the one making sure he can still walk. I'm here for him."

"And I'm with him when you're not, so I think I know what I'm talking about." Jason's hand shot out, pointing towards the stairs. "Did you know his nightmares came back?"

Bruce paused, not sure how to respond. Ever since rescuing Dick, he was plagued with nightmares. There was no getting around that. They were pretty traumatic on their own, but it didn't help his already damaged psyche. Bruce and Jason helped Dick through it, along with the psychological help he desperately needed. It was progressing well, so being told about the return of Dick's nightmares was surprising.

"He was just about over them until two weeks ago." Jason recalled. "They haven't really changed much. Slade coming back from the grave, killing everyone, and selling Dick to the Court of Owls. Only this time, you're not even there to save him. So he becomes a slave and is tortured."

Jason took a deep breathe, frustrated. The fact that Bruce seemed confuses by the declaration was telling. His seclusion really hurt their progress. Intentional or not.

"It's not real, and he knows that," Jason stated, "but that doesn't make it any less painful for him. And it's thanks to you and your current obsession."

Jason shot Bruce a glare. He didn't want to let Bruce down easy. With everything that he observed, Jason wanted Bruce to do something.

"You have to tell him about this."

Bruce seemed to ignore the suggestion, heading for the stairs. Jason and Alfred followed.

~

Dick was getting settled for the night. Having just taken a shower, he was ready to crawl into bed and call it a night. The covers folded back easily, allowing Dick to crawl in.

Dick was about to turn the light off and lay down when his door clicked. Looking over, he noticed Bruce enter the room. He was a little surprised since he hadn't seen Bruce at this time of day in a while. Bruce approached the bed, not saying anything until he sat on the edge.

"I'm sorry." Bruce apologized. "I've been so busy trying to tie up some loose ends that I've been neglectful."

The apology was even more surprising. Where the sudden need to apologize came from, Dick wasn't sure. However, the fact that Bruce was, he knew he had to handle with it.

"It's okay." Dick accepted. "You have things you need to do. I shouldn't take up so much time."

A hand gently held the side of Dick's face. Bruce was troubled by the declaration.

"Hey, don't say that. I like hearing from you and want to know if something's wrong. Especially during this recovery. Why didn't you tell me your nightmares came back?"

Dick smirked with slight embarrassment.

"They're back. Does it really matter?"

"Of course it does. I hate knowing that you're still suffering."

Dick's expression dampened.

"What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing." Bruce pulled Dick closer, wrapping an arm around him. "Clearly we've missed something. I'm just sorry that I haven't been there to help, but I am now. Can you forgive me?"

"Yes."

~

Bruce exited the room, not noting Jason's presence. He made his way to his room, not saying a word. Jason, on the other hand, watched Bruce. Stern disappointment didn't leave him until Bruce shut his bedroom door. Jason heard everything and not once did Bruce mention what Jason wanted him to. That was something that Jason wasn't about to let that down.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason confronts Bruce about not telling Dick about the Court of Owls and a few days later something goes wrong.

Bruce was a lot more positive around Dick as he went through the motions. Bruce kept everything off himself, instead focusing on Dick's physical and mental health. Bruce started the day talking with Dick, talking him through the recent nightmares and some of the lingering psychological issues.

It was followed by Dick's routine physical therapy. His walking was really improving. Dick didn't need the wheelchair any longer. He still had to take it easy on his feet, but he could walk without any assistance.

After going through the regulated techniques, they sat on chairs parallel to each other. An unavoidable disturbance entered the room as Bruce noted Jason's irked appearance in the door way. His cold expression aimed at Bruce which seemed to go unnoticed by Dick.

"Why don't you help Alfred?" Bruce guided. "I think it'd be nice if you got up and help with lunch."

Dick's attention between Bruce and Jason, finally noticing the tension. Clearly they had something they wanted to address something privately.

"Okay." Dick agreed.

Dick slowly stood up and walk towards the doorway. He noticed Jason's stern expression and was concerned.

"Are you okay?" Dick questioned.

Jason noted Dick's concern. Not wanting to upset Dick, or give anything away at the moment, he thought up a response on the spot.

"I'm fine." Jason lied, shooting Dick a grin. "I just need to talk with Bruce."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

Taking Jason's response, Dick walked down the hallway. Jason watched Dick until he disappeared. When he was, Jason turned his attention to Bruce and into the room. Bruce knew what Jason wanted to talk about and was not all too happy about it.

"I thought I told you to tell him." Jason recalled.

"And you seem to forget that I can make my own decisions." Bruce argued.

"Yeah and that always ends well."

Bruce gave him a glare.

"If you don't tell him and he finds out, how do you think he'll react?"

"He won't find out."

"Like he didn't find out about Damian's capture?"

Bruce wasn't fond of Jason's statement.

"You have to tell him."

"I don't have to tell him anything."

Jason scoffed. Bruce's stubbornness was really starting to get on his nerves. He could tell that he wasn't going to get anywhere, but that didn't mean that Jason agreed with it.

"You know what? Fine. Keep your little secret. I hope you're proud, because you can deal with the consequences when this blows up in your face."

Jason exited the room. In his place was an aura of disappointment.

~

Bruce journeyed up the stairs to get a pair of socks. It had been a few days since Jason's outburst and Dick was pretty much set as far as his walking went. Jason's angered jeer hadn't stopped bothering Bruce. Though it was stated from a place of anger, the fact that Jason appeared to want Bruce to fail bothered him. It didn't help that a Talon, that Bruce was certain was in all of the photos and eye witness testimonies, was steadily getting closer to the manor.

Bruce allowed Dick to walk around the house unattended as he got the items in question for Dick. It gave Dick a few minutes to see if he was comfortable enough to take a walk around the outside premises. It was the least Bruce could do since Dick had been as surveyed as he was and could probably needed the fresh air.

When he exited the room, Bruce saw his eldest sons coming up the stairs. Jason was on the stairs concerned as Dick sped towards Bruce. Arms held Dick's shoulders in place as Bruce scanned his body language. Wide eyes and small drips of sweat held onto Dick's face. Trembling told Bruce that something definitely spooked Dick.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked.

"I saw a Talon outside." Dick gasped.

A distressed gasp escaped Bruce.

"Where?"

"Near the back door. By the pool."

Bruce processed the statement, thinking about what to do next.

"Stay here. I'll go check."

Bruce released Dick and ran down the stairs, tossing the socks aside along the way. As he passed Jason, he didn't bother processing his expression.

After several minutes, Bruce returned to the second floor. Dick hadn't moved, though Jason had gotten closer. Jason was comforting Dick, but took a step back once he noticed Bruce. Bruce approached Dick, whose tremors hadn't stopped since he left. Dick was heading towards the end of a panic attack.

"There's no one there." Bruce admitted, pulling Dick in for a hug.

"What was he doing here?" Dick wondered.

Bruce was at a loss of words. He didn't expect this to happen. It disrupted his plan and he didn't want to answer it.

"Yeah Bruce. What was he doing here?" Jason snidely inquired.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." Bruce quietly mumbled. "You weren't supposed to find them."

Dick twitched, realization striking him. He pushed away from Bruce, suspicion on his face, and took a step back. Dick heard Bruce and he knew it.

"What do you mean, I wasn't supposed to know?" Dick asked. "Wasn't supposed to know what?"

Bruce took a deep breath. Time had finally run out and he couldn't get away from it now. Bruce grabbed Dick's shoulders in an attempt to keep him calm.

"The Court of Owls has been active lately." Bruce started. "They're on the hunt and making sure that I notice." Bruce took another breath. "I didn't want to say this, but they're looking for you."

Dick's eyes widened. Shock and fear soaked his face. He wasn't sure if he should feel shocked or horrified as both felt equally reasonable. However, both were briefly subdued when he realized that Bruce had mentioned not wanting him to know. That surface confused anger.

"How long has this been going on?" Dick questioned.

Bruce didn't answer.

"How long did you know?"

There was no going back now. Bruce knew he had to be honest, but he hated it. Jason grinned, waiting for Bruce to respond.

"Since we got you back."

Dick's breath hitched. He was hurt, but shockingly he wasn't too surprised. Well intended or not, Dick was frustrated with the fact that Bruce hid this from him.

"I can't believe this." Dick sighed. "I thought you'd be open with me. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I didn't want to hurt you."

"And having me find out like this was better?"

"I told you he would want to know." Jason chimed in as Dick shot him an irked expression. "Don't give me that look. I only found out recently and tried to get him to tell you."

Dick didn't dwell on it as they turned their attention back to Bruce.

"I wanted to keep you safe." Bruce admitted. "I didn't want to hurt you more than you already were."

"Yeah, well I would have wanted to know if someone was hunting me Bruce." Dick replied. "I may already be physiologically damaged, but I'd rather deal with all the trauma at once. If I had known sooner, at least it would have eased me into the fact that they're out there. But instead, I was unwittingly sheltered and forced to revive my nightmare."

Bruce didn't argue with him. Dick had a point, not that he necessarily agreed with it. Bruce's silence only irritated Dick more.

"I need some fresh air." Dick excused, pushing passed Bruce.

In a slight panic, Bruce grabbed Dick's arm, stopping him by the stairs.

"Let me go." Dick ordered, squirming.

"I can't let you go out there. Not when there's a chance that they're out there."

"I don't care. I need to get out of here."

Dick managed to pull his arm out of Bruce's grip. Unfortunately, his footing got caught on the carpet and tripped him. With nowhere else to go, Dick's body leaned towards the stairs. Dick had barely any time to react as his body dove down the stairs.

Bruce and Jason could only watch in horror as every part of Dick's body was slammed by the stairs. Dick hit the bottom, his head hitting the ground first as his body contorted to the gravity of his fall. He wasn't conscious, but thankfully, he was breathing. They wasted no time bolting towards the bottom of the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick is given a semi good report, though still unconscious. Bruce and Jason have a little conversation and Dick wakes up with a surprising declaration.

"He'll be alright." Leslie announced, flipping through her chart. "He's got some bruising and we stitched a small gash on the back of his head, but thankfully his brain didn't get too damage during the fall. He'll just need some rest. However, that doesn't completely clear him. There's still the question of his mentality. I won't know where his mind is at until he wakes up."

"What do you mean?" Bruce investigated.

"Well I can't safely say that he's mentally sound, if he's got a concussion, or if he's got memory loss until he wakes up. And unfortunately, he can't tell us what's wrong."

Bruce was a little disheartened by the deduction. It was an answer, but it wasn't the one he wanted to hear.

"Thank you."

"He sure knows how to get hurt, doesn't he?" Leslie tried to joke before excusing herself.

Bruce turned his attention to Dick, who was calmly sleeping. The almost dead expression on Dick's face was concerning. The fall rattled everyone, but with him and Jason being the only ones to witness it, it really shook Bruce up.

Pulling up a chair, Bruce sat beside Dick. He hovered over the bed, waiting for Dick to wake up. Bruce was worried and a little guilty. As much as he hated to admitted, he did fell a bit responsible for this. He was too focused on Dick to let it go. Not even the sound of footsteps detoured him.

"Are you happy?" Bruce coldly asked. "You were right."

"Of course I'm not." Jason denied. "I may have wanted to prove you wrong, but not at the expense of Dick's health."

Jason looked at Dick, a sense of sympathy aimed towards him. It hurt seeing someone who was gradually getting better only to have that taken away in one swift motion. All because of one secret. Jason hated what transpired and how it affected everyone.

It was bad enough that they had to witness Dick's fall, but they weren't the only ones effected by it. Tim and Damian saw Dick's body on the ground and were mortified. They saw the damage as Jason tried to carefully move Dick while Bruce contacted the hospital. A small amount of blood appeared to puddle where his head made contact with the floor and Dick's hurt, unconscious expression was horrible to them. Concerned with Tim's previous outburst, Jason didn't want to overload him or have him backtrack. Damian was a little easier to manage, at least most of the time, but not without some help.

It was these kinds of concerns that made Tim and Damian's visit brief. While they had seen worse from Dick's previous hospitalization, this was one ordeal that didn't need to be blown out of proportion. They didn't deserve the anxiety of another hospitalization.

"It's just not fair." Jason admitted, taking a seat on the bed. "He was supposed to get better. Not worse."

"You're right." Bruce agreed. "I just wanted to protect him."

"I don't doubt that, but you should have known better. I know you didn't want this to happen and that you're intentions were reasonable. However, you of all people should know how Dick would react to life. As well as your relationship with him and how you've been treat him."

Bruce didn't try to argue that point, not wanting to start an argument. Deep down, he knew Jason was being bluntly honest about the situation. Or at least from his perspective. Whether or not Jason was still pissed at him, could be debated, as his voice and body language showed no signs of hostility. However, Bruce didn't believe that Jason was saying what he did to be mean spirited or cruel and that's all that mattered.

Shifting caught their attention, interrupting their train of thought. A soft groan escaped Dick as his body twitched. Fingers lightly squeezed the blanket before letting it go. His eyes slowly started to open, registering that he was conscious. It was followed by a small pained groan, more than likely due from the residual damage from the fall.

"What's going on?" Dick panicked, sitting up. "Where am I?"

"It's okay." Bruce comforted, gently placing his hands on Dick's shoulders. "You fell down the stair and we're at the hospital."

Dick calmed down. Learning about what happened and where he was helped eased his mind. Bruce's calm approach also helped.

Dick allowed Bruce to get him to sit back. He tried to process everything now that he was conscious, but something didn't feel right.

"You scared us." Jason added.

Dick stared at Jason with confusion. Something didn't seem right as he tried to make sense of Jason. His confused observation didn't go unnoticed as Bruce and Jason started to worry, waiting for him to reply.

"Who are you?" Dick asked.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick's memory loss gets explored and a plan is suggested. Unbeknownst to them, so too, does the very group that Bruce had been monitoring.

Bruce and Jason were shocked by Dick's lack of recognition. Maybe it was just his mind blanking out for a moment since Leslie did mention amnesia being a possibility.

"It's me, Jason." Jason reminded.

Dick's head cocked as he squinted at him. He was still confused. Dick tried to remember Jason's name, but it just wasn't registering.

"I don't know anyone named Jason." Dick stated.

Jason was about to make a comment, almost offended, when Bruce shot a hand up. It stopped him, but it also left him curious. Bruce had a theory and was going to test it.

"Do you know who I am?" Bruce inquired.

Dick nodded.

"Bruce."

Bruce nodded. He pulled out his wallet, pulling out a few pictures and setting them on Dick's lap. One picture was of Jason the year Bruce took him in. Another was Alfred. The third was of Damian and the final picture was of the Talon from the newspaper. Jason started to pick up what Bruce had in mind.

"Do you recognize any of these people?"

Dick scanned each photo, studying each one intently. He held each for a few seconds before going for the next. Eventually, he held one, who Bruce figured he remembered.

"Alfred." Dick named before looking at the others. "This one looks spooky and reminiscent of the tales my parents used to tell me." The Talon. "This kid doesn't look familiar, but looks like he shares the same tough guy expression you have." That was directed towards Jason. "And this kid looks almost exactly like you at that age. He has your eyes and a similar face, though his eyes are more of a green instead of blue." That was Damian.

Clearly Dick's memory was faulty. Jason and Damian's photos weren't ringing any bells, which Bruce had hoped they would, especially the former. Thankfully though, the Talon wasn't ringing any bells either, which felt like a good thing. However, just how far back Dick's memory regressed had yet to be verified.

"What is the last big thing you remember?" Bruce asked.

Dick thought for a moment, trying to picture a memory.

"Getting hit by Scarecrow's fear gas." Dick recalled. "I can still see the nightmarish image of you proclaiming your disappointment in me."

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose, recalling the scene. Its place in time wasn't too good of a marker. That happened when he was thirteen.

"That was twelve years ago." Bruce deduced.

"Twelve years?" Jason shockingly repeated.

"Oh good, you're awake." Leslie greeted, entering the room with notes in her hand. "What did I miss?"

"Amnesia. His mind is projecting his memories from twelve years ago and nothing after that."

Leslie sigh in disappointment. She gently removed her glasses as she let the observation sink in.

"I was afraid of that."

Her words didn't help them. If anything, they agreed with Bruce and Jason's current sentiment.

"Please tell me it's temporary."

"I wish I could." She flipped through the paperwork in her hand. "I just got the results for the MRI and it does show his brain having slight swelling, but if anything that gives you a cause for it. Not its longevity."

"Um, excuse me." Dick chimed in, borrowing everyone's attention. "Not that I want to intrude, but can someone please tell me what's going on?"

Jason jumped in so that Bruce wouldn't have to. He knew he should probably tread lightly for the moment.

"We'll explain later." Jason stated. "Just know that you got hurt and seemed to have lost your memories from the last twelve years of your life. Your name is Dick Grayson. You're twenty five and have been living with Bruce for the last few months. We're going to do what we can to help regain your memory."

Bruce was satisfied with Jason's explanation. It was simple and to the point.

"I would start small." Leslie advised. "Prepare him for what's at home and slowly integrate key memories. He doesn't need to be overloaded. I hope that his memory will return over time, but I'm not opposed to introducing things that could trigger his memory."

"Understood." Bruce accepted, standing up. "If that all, I'd like to discharge Dick. I want to get him home and settled in."

~

Several head members of the Parliament were perched in their seats. Before them was one of their many Talons. The talon stood before them firmly motionless.

"We are starting to grow tired of waiting." The female member stated. "Why haven't you brought us our Gray Son yet?"

"I am observing him." The Talon admitted. "I need to know what I'm working with. I need to understand him."

"And you need two months to do so?" A man of the Parliament inquired.

"Yes. I do not wish to rush. Rather, I wish to get familiar with the boy. I want to build a solid case. Unlike our now deceased hired assassin, who got cocky."

"And your recent executions?"

"To fill my current quota and to keep the Dark Knight preoccupied."

The Parliament seemed to understand his explanation. However, they were still a little displeased with the wait with no physical results.

"The boy is also healing and I'd much rather retrieve him in full health. Not that it matters now."

"Explain." The woman ordered.

"He recently took a fall and sustained a head injury."

Murmurs erupted between the Parliament members. They were surprised, but at the same time, not too thrilled.

"So our plan has been set back even further." One of the members deduced.

"Not necessarily." The Talon argued.

"Care to elaborate."

"Recovery won't take long, so that will not be an issue. I have a theory about what this injury could have caused, and if it is correct, it will open the door to retrieving the Gray Son."

The Parliament was intrigued by the statement. It was a statement that had some worth to it which eased their suspicions.

"You will get your Gray Son." The Talon promised. "I just need time."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick returns home and the foundation for his memory is presented.

Jason and Bruce brought Dick home with little to no problem. As Bruce slowly reintroduced Tim and Damian to Dick and the basics of the last twelve years during the drive, Jason texted Tim and Jason, letting them know about Dick's current mental state and not to overstress him because of it. The only thing Jason couldn't help but notice was how Bruce seemed to avoid mentioning Jason's death.

Bruce mentioned their conflicted separation and how Jason took the mantle of Robin after Dick made a name for himself. Though explaining why Jason stopped being the Boy Wonder was less than honest. All Bruce said was that after an explosive conflict, Jason went off on his own.

When they reached the manor, Tim and Damian were waiting for them. Dick exited the car with a slightly blank face. He was a little nervous, but once Damian calmly approached him and awkwardly hugged him, he was able to relax.

Damian and Tim cleared a path for Dick to walk on. With a tap on the back, courtesy of Bruce, Dick headed for the manor. When he opened the door, he was greeted by Alfred, who welcomed him home and gently hugged him.

Dick didn't get far after that. A German Shephard bolted towards him and pounced. The dog's size was enough to knock him over. Everyone anxiously paused, but when Dick started laughing, they released a relieved sigh. Ace was affectionately licking Dick's face.

"Ace!" Dick chuckled, ruffling the dog's head.

The German Shephard moved, allowing Dick to sit up. A whistle distracted Ace, causing him to give Dick a little more room to move. He stood up, smiling as Ace sat next to him.

"Why don't you get settled?" Bruce advised. "Maybe get some rest."

"I've been laying down all day." Dick complained.

"I'm going for a walk in the garden." Alfred admitted. "Would you like to come?"

"Would I."

Alfred allowed Dick to lead the way with Ace trailing beside him. Their departure left the rest of them alone. It was a little concerning, but they knew that he'd be alright.

"What are we going to do?" Tim asked.

"Take it slow and act like not much has changed." Bruce answered. "There's not much we can do to fix this quickly. Reintroduce him to what's necessary and fill in anything that he might remember along the way. I hope this is temporary, but we just have to take this one day at a time."

Tim nodded, satisfied with his answer. He and Damian went their separate ways as Bruce and Jason entered the house. Jason didn't leave Bruce's side. Several complaints bothered him and Bruce could feel it.

"How do you plan to approach the last few months?" Jason inquired.

"Not at all." Bruce stated. "Unless he remembers something, I don't want him to know anything about his torture."

"Is that why you blatantly avoided my death?"

"Precisely. With his memory set back before our dispute and inevitably, your death, he doesn't need the confusion or the unnecessary guilt of knowing that you died and were eventually revived."

"Would it matter if I said that this is unwise? Considering what happened last time."

"You can say it, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to it. We have a little more control over what he knows and should tread carefully. I want him to be happy, and if that means hiding truths that he could very well remember later, then so be it."

~

Sheets were twisting and turning as Dick was in a restless slumber. He was in the fit of an active dream. He soon jolted up in a sweat, emitting a scared scream. The light immediately shot on, causing him to flinch from the sudden exposure. Jason was instantly by his side. With Bruce and Damian on patrol, he was the only one available to help.

"Are you okay?" Jason asked.

"Yeah." Dick sighed, rubbing his eye. "Just a run of the mill nightmare about my parents' death. Not too uncommon of an occurrence. However, this time seemed a little different."

Jason placed himself at the edge of the bed. He was dreadfully curious about how different it was.

"How so?"

"After they fell, I saw glowing eyes in the shadows outlined with golden lines. Some looked at the lifeless corpses of my parents, others at me. I do not know who these shadows were, but something about them felt vaguely familiar."

Jason had an inclination as to what those figures could be, but chose not to say. He wanted to see if Dick would question it first, and if not, he'd leave it be. While he may have disagreed with Bruce keeping a low profile, Jason didn't want to overwhelm him.

Dick slid on down, covering himself up with the comforter. He got comfortable and let his eyes close. Dick's recovery time was pretty impressive. Though considering it was an occurrence, Jason didn't know if he should be glad or sympathetic about it. It was about his parents after all, and Jason knew the memory wasn't a pleasant one. However, it also posed little to no threat. It didn't surface a major issue as far as his memory. It didn't require much explanation.

"Do you want me to stay?" Jason asked.

"No." Dick sighed. "I'll be fine. If I dream up a memory or something of value, I'll be sure to let you or Bruce know."

Jason hopped off the bed. He knew Dick wasn't bothered by the dream any longer, so he decided to let him sleep. As he went towards the door, his hand grabbed the light switch.

"Good night." Jason wished, flicking the light off.

"Uh huh." Dick yawned. "You too."

Jason shut the door behind him. He leaned against the door, not wanting to walk away just yet. Jason pulled out a small sheet of paper from his pocket and a pen. After jotting something down, he put the items back in his pocket. Sighing, he finally left the door.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce spends some time with Dick, cautiously observing him.

Bruce sat across from Dick at the dining room table. He decided to take the day off to keep an eye on him. Bruce wanted to spend some time with him. After some arguing, Jason reluctantly decided to let him, opting to spend some time with Tim.

As nice as it was that Bruce was being more attentive to Dick, Jason didn't like how Bruce seemingly wanted to hover over him. Bruce disagreed, believing he was making up for Jason's previous neglect allegations. As aware of the statement that he was, Jason didn't expect Bruce to use it on him, but since he did, Jason decided to let him watch Dick this time.

Dick had caught a little of the disagreement, but chose not to get involved. However, with Alfred busy, everyone gone, and him and Bruce having breakfast, Dick though it'd be a good time to investigate a little.

"Why don't you and Jason get along?" Dick inquired.

"What makes you think we don't?" Bruce replied before taking a sip of his coffee.

"You guys don't seem to agree about how to handle my amnesia."

Bruce wasn't surprised that he overheard some of it. He didn't like the eavesdropping, but it wasn't a surprise. Dick always had an ear for those kind of things it would seem.

"Let's just say we've always had our differences. Even now as we help you out with your recovery. To put it bluntly, we have different ideas as to how your amnesia should be addressed."

"I hope your disagreement doesn't last."

Bruce loved Dick's hopefulness, though it was a little misguided. Something that the amnesia messed with. If Dick had recalled his and Jason's tension, he might not be.

"Me too." Bruce took a sip of his coffee. "So, do you remember anything?"

Dick shock his head.

"No. Nothing yet."

~

Thudding echoed through the Batcave as a training dummy was securely positioned in the open. Dick was practicing some basic techniques to help pass the time. Flips, kicks and punches were elegantly performed. He snuck away from Bruce while he dealt with a business call, hoping that Bruce wouldn't notice. Bruce didn't want him going into the cave for whatever reason, but Dick wanted to stretch his legs.

"Dick!" Bruce loudly called.

Dick stopped, looking towards the entrance. Bruce was making his way down the stairs. He didn't seem upset or like himself. Rather, he almost seemed nervous, which was a surprise. Dick didn't know why, believing that he wasn't doing anything wrong. Bruce grabbed Dick's upper arms.

"What are you doing?" Bruce lectured. "I told you not to come down here."

"I need to move Bruce." Dick complained. "I'm tired of sitting around. I'm an acrobat and I need room to fly. You know that."

Bruce could understand his request. Dick always needed the room to move. However, Bruce didn't want him down here. Especially on his own. If he unintentionally stumbled into anything he shouldn't or happened to remember anything, Bruce wasn't sure he'd be ready to explain.

"I could bring up equipment, give you the backyard to work in. Why do you need to use the cave?"

"The familiarity. Why does it matter?"

"I just don't want you near here right now. It may be familiar, but it's not a safe place on your own."

Dick looked at him puzzled. He couldn't see why it was a problem.

"Why isn't it?"

"I'm concerned about your memory. This place holds so many and as much as I would like you to remember them, I don't want to overwhelm you."

Dick begrudgingly sighed. Bruce gave him a reason, just not one that he liked.

"Fine, I'll go upstairs."

Bruce was pleased with Dick's choice. He released Dick's arms and placed one hand behind his back. Bruce guided Dick back up the stairs, wanting to make sure he got out.

~

Dick woke up from another nightmare about as vocally as the last. However, instead of Jason coming in, Bruce did. He sat beside Dick, observing him. Something felt different this time.

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked.

"I think I remembered something." Dick admitted.

Bruce was startled. What could be recalling, could have been anything. It could have been good or bad, but contemplating it wasn't going to help.

"What?"

"I was sitting on a roof top, tired and weak. I kept on saying how something was my fault, a death I think." Dick sighed, recalling the next event. "The next thing I knew, someone was talking to me, telling me I didn't do anything wrong and that everything was okay." Dick looked at Bruce distraught. "Did I kill someone Bruce?"

Bruce had a pretty good inclination as to what he was remembering. It was the incident with Blockbuster that Dick witnessed. Bruce recalled the anger at Dick for not stopping it since he could have. Also with that came a grim reminder that Deathstroke had stated during Dick's capture. Tarantula taking advantage of Dick's immobility for her own pleasure.

Those little details were things that Bruce didn't want to mention, at least not yet. However, he couldn't lie about the fact that it was a memory. A technicality was all Bruce wanted to mention. Especially with Dick looking pretty upset about the notion. Bruce knew he could give a basic explanation and expand upon it later if the situation called for it.

"No." Bruce denied. "You go pulled into a tough situation where a partner of yours killed someone, Blockbuster, right in front of you."

Dick was a little puzzled by it.

"Why would they do that? And why did I think I killed it?"

"Blockbuster was a criminal and she took matters into her own hands. You were unable to stop it, because you were beat up from fighting and were in a bit of shock."

"Wouldn't I try to stop it though?"

"Well, let's just say you were in a bit of a conundrum. You might have wanted to, but a lot was going on. If you recall anything else about it, or in general, let me know."

Thankfully, Dick seemed to accept that answer, laying back down. Bruce recovered him, running a hand through his hair. Bruce didn't leave his side, wanting to make sure Dick got back to sleep peacefully.

"Get some good sleep, okay?" Bruce requested.

"I will." Dick whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason gets a taste of Dick's memory recall.

"What do you mean you didn't tell him the whole thing?" Jason asked, irritated.

"I gave him what he needed to know." Bruce stated. "He didn't need to know about his assault, the entire context of the situation, or my original response. He just wanted to know if he killed someone."

"And what are you going to tell him when he remembers any of that? Not to mention him unintentionally killing Tarantula?"

"Not important right know."

Jason and Bruce were going at it for several minutes. As much as Jason appreciated Bruce's help, the fact that Bruce withheld parts of what Dick remembered infuriated. He was not only supported the idea, but was under the assumption, that they would fill Dick in with everything they knew about the memory.

Thankfully, Dick wasn't present. Having him there during their argument wouldn't be a good thing. He and Damian were hanging out.

~

"I can't believe Bruce lets you have so many pets." Dick noted, hugging Titus. "Titus, Alfred the cat, and Bat Cow."

He and Damian were sitting on some chairs in the backyard. Damian brought Titus out so the Great Dane could exercise. However, he seemed more interested in hanging out with them, as his attentiveness to Dick proved.

"It was originally supposed to teach me some humanity and control my aggressive impulses." Damian admitted. "And I rescued Bat Cow."

"Wish Bruce would have let me have a pet."

"Well, what about Ace? I doubt he was just father's dog."

"Yeah, and I love Ace to death, but you know, I would have loved to have a pet that felt like was all mine. Then again, I doubt we'd have the room for Zitka, or so Bruce said, and Tony the tiger was 'too dangerous'."

Damian scoffed at Dick choices. Of course he'd want something so wild.

"You're such a circus freak Grayson."

Dick chuckled, an amused smirk on his face. He couldn't deny that, it was in his roots after all. The air went silent as Titus pranced over to Damian, lying at his feet.

"How are you?" Damian asked. "You're memory, I mean?"

"Alright." Dick answered. "Nothing's really come back. Just a snippet from a while ago."

Damian wasn't sure if that was good or bad. He had some memories that Damian appreciated.

"Wouldn't it be great if the Lazarus Pits could fix this?" Dick contemplated, half joking.

"It can do a good many things. Theoretically, it could Jason may know more about that though, given his time hanging around them."

Dick glanced at him confused before staring off. Damian noticed it, curious as to what he might be thinking.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

~

Jason found Dick in front of the fireplace. The warm glow reflected off of him as he sat in the chair. Jason joined him, sitting in the chair across from him. Dick was intently staring at the flames.

"Everything okay?" Jason asked.

"Yeah." Dick sighed, looking over at Jason. "I think I remembered something."

Jason was impressed. He wasn't expecting Dick to remember anything at the moment. However, he was glad that he was and was willing to help clear the confusion.

"Care to elaborate?"

Dick seemed embarrassed. He didn't respond right away, trying to find the right words.

"Did you die?"

Jason flinched. He'd have choked if he was drinking water. He wasn't expecting Dick to pop that question so soon.

"Damian and I were talking," Dick elaborated, "and as a joke, I questioned if the Lazarus Pit could restore memories. I didn't expect him to say that it was a possibility. Nor did I expect him to mention you. After that, I had a revelation that I at least heard that you died."

The explanation was sound, but whether or not Jason was going to have a serious talk with Damian depended. Jason just hated that Dick seemed to be remembering negative memories. He remembered his promise to be open with Dick as much as he could and he knew that was all that mattered.

"Yes." Jason admitted. "I disobeyed Bruce and went on my own. I got trapped by Joker and beaten before the warehouse blew up and everything went black. I was revived with little to no memory of my life. Talia helped me recuperate and used the Lazarus Pit to help me. I was a lot more aggressive and bloodthirsty, but those effects have since subsided."

Dick was a little disheartened. Jason could tell that he didn't want it to be true. Jason didn't know what was worse, retelling it or Dick's discomfort hearing it. Dick seemed almost hurt.

"Even though you and Bruce were at war with each other, you at least made an effort to be there." Jason stated. "You did give me your number after all. You were just pissed at Bruce and you hated the idea of him taking on another Robin."

He looked at Dick, whose expression changed from a horrified one to a sympathetic one. Dick slowly got up and walked over to Jason. Jason responded by standing up. He was a little surprised when Dick wrapped his arms around him. The slightly shorter stature of Jason's elder was oddly satisfying as he returned the hug.

"I'm sorry." Dick apologized.

"It's okay." Jason comforted.

Jason appreciated Dick's sentiment. Though it may not have been as intense of a reaction as he expected, he knew Dick was feeling sympathetic for his death. They relished in the moment for a little before a yawn emerged from Dick.

"Someone's tired." Jason noticed, releasing Dick.

"I guess so." Dick chuckled.

"Why don't you get to sleep, I've got a Boy Wonder to talk to."

"Don't be too hard on him. we were only conversing."

Dick made his way up the stairs. As he reached the second floor, he gazed outside the window. The night's dark blanket covered the manor grounds and it was kind of peaceful. However, something unusual caught his eye.

A dark figure was barely noticeable by the fence. Dick wasn't sure what to make of it and as he blinked, the figure seemed to disappear. Figuring that it was just his eyes playing a trick on him, too tired to think straight, Dick went to his room.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce begrudgingly agrees to Jason's demands to let Dick in on one memory only for Dick to be MIA. Where could he have gone and who might he meet?

A stack of papers flopped in front of Bruce, catching him off guard. On the other side of his desk was Jason, not pleased in the slightest. Bruce set his paperwork aside to briefly scan the papers Jason gave him.

"What's this?" Bruce asked.

"A list of things that Dick's been recalling, be it subliminally or consciously." Jason stated. "Every reference to his memory from his dream. His recall only seems to be focusing on the negative, whether he realizes it or not. Not to mention what I suspect is a looming reference to the Court of Owls."

Bruce noted Jason's concerns. However, he wasn't sure where Jason was going with it.

"And?"

"I think it's time we sit him down and talk to him about these issues."

Bruce was a little annoyed with Jason's request. The fact that he was still arguing his approach was bothersome.

"I thought I said we'd deal with it as it comes."

"And who says he's going to question everything? He hasn't even questioned some of what I've written down. Like the appearance of Talons in he dreams or the vague memory of being captured, which he is passing off as a dream."

Jason sighed. He had been monitoring Dick for a week now and wanted to get what he's found addressed.

"I already had to tell him about my death."

Bruce shot up, agitated.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because your spawn said the wrong thing at the right time."

Jason had talked with Damian about it, allowing Damian to elaborate. And while Jason admitted that he hated how Damian may have approached it, he knew Damian was just having a conversation. It wasn't like he intended to trigger that memory so much as using Jason as an example without much thought. It didn't make Jason any less annoyed with Damian, but it did give Jason an explanation.

Bruce didn't seem too thrilled about Jason's declaration. It would be one thing if Tim, Jason, or even Alfred accidently let something slip, but Damian, he thought would have a better grasp on what Bruce intended.

"I already talked to him about it." Jason elaborated. "He didn't entirely think about what he said when Dick asked a hypothetical question about the Lazarus Pit and he implied that I might know something about it. It was a mistake, but harmless. However, that doesn't mean that I don't want us should sit him down and fill him in with some of the more significant memories. No matter how traumatic."

As much as Bruce wanted to deny it, Jason's argument was valid. Bruce hated the thought of filling him with all of his memories from the last decade, the bad ones especially. He wanted to keep Dick safe from his trauma. However, there was no ignoring Jason's consistent arguing any longer.

"One memory." Bruce growled. "We'll test one memory. If he reacts too negatively to it, we won't do it again unless he remembers it."

They exited the study together with Bruce leading the way. They went looking for Dick, who should have been preoccupied with other things. However, it was Damian that they saw first.

"Where's Dick?" Bruce asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Damian admitted. "He went looking for Jason to ask him about something."

"I haven't seen him." Jason commented.

A sense of panic sparked in them. They expected him to be with Damian. They all approached Alfred next, who was in the kitchen with an exhausted Tim. Upon questioning them, both could admit that they had seen Dick recently.

This only escalated their anxiety. Dick couldn't have just disappeared on them. They decided to split up to see if maybe Dick was somewhere else in the manor.

Dick was cruising the streets of Gotham. Wanting to get some fresh air and some time to himself, he didn't see an issue with it. After all, Bruce didn't specify if he was allowed to leave the house or not. Not that Dick had bothered to ask.

He turned around a corner, hoping to take a shortcut to the park through an alleyway. As suspicious as it was, Dick was almost certain that nothing would happen. Dick was in for an all too easy refusal on his belief as a thug decked him square in the face.

Dick didn't have the time to react before another person hit him, knocking him to the ground. When he was, Dick noticed that he was surrounded by three people.

"Ain't this the Wayne's kid?" One thug, presumably the leader, noted. "You know, the one who got all beat up?"

"Yeah it is." Another thug holding a baseball bat confirmed.

"What do you think we should do with him Boss?" The third asked.

"He invaded our territory." The leader stated. "Beat him."

Dick wasn't sure how to react. Defending himself seemed reasonable, but he was afraid to go too far with it. But taking it didn't sound too pleasant either. The thug with the bat made the first move, swinging the bat at Dick's face. It smacked him with a dull whacking sound. It was followed up by a kick to the stomach. Dick knew there wasn't a point trying to fight back, knowing that he had literally walked into this situation. So he allowed them to continue their attack.

Rattling stopped their attack. They looked down the alleyway. Annoyed by something or someone. A shadowy figure stood in silence.

"Get out of here." The leader demanded.

The figure didn't answer, approaching them.

"Go!" The bat wielding thug ordered, swinging the bat threateningly.

The figure grabbed the bat and tossed it aside.

"You asked for it." The third thug threatened.

He threw a punch at the figure, who quickly grabbed the fist and twisted it. While the man was hissing in pain the figure threw him aside. The other thug tried to grab his bat back only to be knocked over with a kick before grabbing the sports prop and smacking him with it.

With the leader being the only one not caught up in the fight, he finally started to. He wouldn't get far as a hand tightly wrapped around his throat. It only tightened as the leader tried to squirm away. 

"Go away." The figure coldly demanded.

He released the thug. He only had to give them a glare for them to scamper off. With them gone, he turned his attention to Dick. As the man approached him, Dick was able to study him. He was young, with black hair and hazel eyes. His outfit was black with greyish accents and what appeared to be knives. It appeared that there was a hood to his ensemble, but it was down, exposing his observant and stern expression.

Dick tried to move away, but there was no room for him to do so. The man knelt in front of him, his unchanged expression. Dick wanted to run but his sight and consciousness seemed to be fading, something he doubted the beating did. He felt his body collapse only to be caught before he blacked out.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick finds out about his rescuer, who makes a surprising declaration.

Dick slowly started to wake up. The glow of a bedroom was shielded by a frame leaning over him. Dick jolted, sitting up startled. He recalled passing out and a shadowy figure approach him. He didn't expect to see his shady rescuer to be with him.

Hands gripped onto Dick shoulders, stopping him from escaping. He didn't bother trying to fight it, hoping that he'd be safe. The man's features were more refined now that Dick was conscious. His face being the most noticeable.

"It's okay." The man noted. "You're safe."

Dick studied his surroundings a little more. From what he could assume, he was in what looked like a hotel room. After his brief study, Dick turned his attention back to his unknown rescuer.

"Who are you?" Dick asked.

"What were you doing out alone with your memory shot?"

"No seriously who are… How do you know my memory's fractured?"

That was disturbing. This man, who Dick had no recollection of, knew Dick's memory was shot. The man smirked, amused by his confusion.

"I've heard about you're recent accident in the papers." He stated. "What can I say? I was worried. After all we are family."

Dick gave him a confused look. As far as he knew, the only family he had were his parents and the family he had found a home in with Bruce.

"My name is William Cobb and I am your great grandfather."

Dick jolted in disbelief. The man in front of him, who looked to be in his mid-thirties, proclaimed the he was an old relative. Thankful confusion turned to suspicious paranoia, and Dick didn't want to stay.

Dick tried to get out of the bed, only for William to shove him back down hard. In that moment, Dick started to panic. He squirmed, hoping to get away. Unfortunately, William's grip was too firm for him to get out of and his attempt only seemed to offend the man. The man's expression was one that made Dick stop. It was cold, discomforting.

Dick was at a loss, wanting nothing more than to leave. However, that was an option that seemed unfeasible. He was trapped with a man that he started to question, and it didn't look like he was about to let him go any time soon.

"Let me go." Dick begged. "Please."

"I can't." William refused. "You're too riled. Not to mention it pouring out side."

Dick peered towards the window. It was doused with rain drops and more tapped it. At that moment, Dick realized that he wasn't going to go anywhere anytime soon.

"You haven't answered my question." William sated. "What were you doing outside in your condition?"

"It doesn't matter now." Dick sighed, not noticing his arms being released. "Weather only got worse."

All Dick wanted to do was go for a walk. Get away from the chaos. It was a nice enough day and he was able to work his way around the others.

Dick finally gave William his full attention. William's declaration still left a fresh scar in his mind. A declaration that he still couldn't grasp. Couldn't believe it.

"You can't be my great grandfather." Dick denied. "You're too young."

William smirked, amused by Dick's statement. His disbelief was understandable.

"What can I say? I've found my own fountain of youth." William admitted. "Though, I am certain that I can convince you that I am."

Dick was skeptical, but he wasn't going to stop him from trying.

"Your grandfather was born Benjamin William Grayson September twenty second nineteen thirty one. He was raised by Haly's father, got married and had a son. John Benjamin Grayson."

Dick wasn't impressed. While he could applaud him for doing his research, Dick felt like it wasn't anything convincing.

"Anyone can learn names and birthdays." Dick stated.

William mentally applauded Dick's suspicion given his memory, though he did find it a little bothersome. He pulled out a folded up piece of paper and handed it to Dick.

"I believe this speaks for itself."

Dick unfolded it, inspecting the paper. His eye's widened in shock upon realizing what it was. A birth certificate, his grandfather's to be exact. His parents had told him that it disappeared a long time ago and that it was never recovered. His grandfather's last name was different. If Dick had to guess it was because it had been taken before his last name officially became Grayson. Dick looked at William confused.

"How did you get this?" Dick asked.

"I hold onto that to remember my past life." William replied. "To remember the child I gave up."

It continued to sink in, and Dick felt like he couldn't deny it any longer.

"I can't believe it. I have a great grandfather. Why didn't Bruce tell me?"

"I've been away for so long that by the time your parents died, I was too far away to claim you."

Dick felt a surge of excitement. The thought of having a new found family member was nice. Granted, it was sudden and Dick was still a little suspicious, but it was nice to know that he had family. William pushed Dick down. The move was sudden, starling Dick.

"You need to rest." William admitted. "You came down with a fever after I brought you here."

"But I have to get home." Dick stated.

"You will, but as I said, it's raining. You're not going anywhere until it's over and you've rested."

"Alright."

~

The rain stopped the following day. After spending the morning getting to know William, Dick was finally able to leave.

"I can't wait to tell them." Dick proclaimed.

"No!" William loudly denied.

Dick looked at him puzzled.

"I want this to be our little secret, at least for now." William pulled something out and put it in Dick's hand. "I want to spend time with you. Use this phone to contact me. I'll pick up and meet you wherever you want."

Dick looked down at the electronic. It was small, but he couldn't complain.

"Thank you." Dick replied with a smile. "I'll be sure to contact you soon."

"Of course. Any time."

William showed Dick out, exposing Gotham and the hotel's exterior along the way. He pointed Dick in the right direction for the manor, to be safe, and watched Dick leave. Once Dick was far enough away, he turned his attentions elsewhere, walking in the opposite direction.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick returns home and Bruce and Jason let him know about a little of his lost memory.

Dick carefully opened the door and slowly entered the house. He made it home without any issues, but that wasn't what he was thinking about. The manor seemed quiet, but Dick had a feeling that it wasn't going to last. Not to mention the lingering suspicion of the inevitable lecture. Being gone for as long as he was, Dick expected it. He scanned the floor, looking for any signs of life.

"Dick!" Jason's voice called.

Bruce and Jason anxiously approached him, moving so quickly that Dick didn't have the chance to escape. Bruce's hands clamped the sides of Dick's face as Bruce examined his eldest child intently. His observation clouded Jason's view of Dick.

"Are you okay?" Bruce frantically asked.

"I'm fine." Dick replied, not entirely expecting this reaction.

"What were you thinking? Running off like that. I was so worried."

Dick thought for a moment, recalling William's request. The secret he agreed to keep. He had to think of a story to explain his overnight absence quick.

"I just wanted to get some fresh air. Was starting to get a little cabin fever and needed to get out. It started to rain so I stayed the night at the Rose Hotel. I thought you'd be okay with it. I'm sorry."

Dick was pleased with his response. It wasn't a total lie. It just didn't include is relative. As arms wrapped around his frame, he realized just how worried Bruce was.

"Don't scare me like that again."

Jason cleared his throat, drawing their attentions to him. He wasn't as anxious as Bruce, holding onto a stern sense of intrigue.

"I believe we agreed to talk to him about something." Jason reminded.

Bruce sighed, recalling his and Jason's agreement. He released Dick patting him on the back.

"Can you go to the study? We do have something to talk about."

"Okay."

Dick ran to the study, giving no attention to Jason and Bruce. Bruce didn't immediately follow him, watching him go.

"You don't believe him, do you?" Jason inquired.

"I don't know." Bruce sighed. "On the one hand, I want to believe that he had a subconscious memory with this venture."

"What do you mean?"

"When Dick was younger and when we had a big argue, he used to wander off. The Rose hotel became a sanctuary, since he was a minor, and couldn't legally leave my care. He usually returned that night or the next day."

Jason wasn't sure if he should be jealous or concerned about that bit of history. It gave Dick freedom that he never had at that age, but he wasn't sure if that was the best method.

"But on the other hand, I can't help but feel like there's something he's not telling us."

Jason understood the sentiment.

"Well he's home now." Jason stated. "For now, I wouldn't worry too much about it. We've got other things to attend to."

~

Dick was curiously watching Bruce and Jason. He impatiently waited to find out what they wanted to talk about. His eyes bounced between Bruce and Jason, who sat across from him.

"Do you remember why you're here?" Jason asked.

"Because I was visiting Bruce." Dick tried to recall. "Or at least that was Bruce said."

Bruce sighed. Breaking the news wasn't going to be pleasant. Especially since he was the one who was a little less than honest.

"Well, that wasn't entirely the truth." Bruce admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"It's been a little over three months now that hasn't exactly been spent on vacation time."

Dick looked at him confused. Jason knew he had to step in and get to the point.

"A few months ago, you were abducted by a guy named Slade Wilson, or Deathstroke as his clientele knows him." Jason filled in. "He was an assassin without an eye that you knew since your Titan days." Jason huffed. "Anyways, he abducted you, beat you, and tried to make you into his apprentice. You escaped, but not without sustaining injury. Bruce and I agreed to care for you, but then you got captured again. This time sustaining emotional trauma on top of getting stabbed through the feet. You've been recovering ever since. Until you took a tumble down the stairs."

Horror was the only thing to surface on Dick's face. Jason's blunt honesty wasn't subtle. Nor was it kind. Dick was on the verge of tears.

Bruce approached Dick, gently grabbing his shoulders. As far as Bruce was concerned, this proved that Dick wasn't ready for such trauma.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dick asked.

Bruce was surprised that Dick asked that. It was expected, but Bruce didn't think that Dick would question why.

"I didn't want to overwhelm you." Bruce replied. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"I've been kidnapped plenty of times before as Robin, what made this different?"

As true as that statement may have been, it wasn't the one Bruce wanted to hear. What Dick went through this time was different.

"You were traumatized. Too traumatized. The nightmares. The damage. The self-inflicted blame. I couldn't stand the thought of you suffering." Bruce wrapped his arms around Dick, with the intention of comforting him. "I'll admit, it may not have been entirely right to hide it from you, but it was the only way I could keep you away from it."

~

Dick shifted positions in his sleep. Bruce told Jason that they were not to bring up Dick's memories unless prompted to. Much to Jason's dismay and Dick silent trouble. Vibrating startled him, waking him up in the process. Dick put a hand beneath his pillow pulling his phone out from underneath. Turning it on, he realized he had gotten a text.

_Meet me tomorrow night in Gotham Central Park. I wish to see you and would like to address a few things. Plus, I think you could use a little training._

_W.C._

Dick's face remained tiredly blank, but he was kind of happy to hear from his relative. Even though he did kind of question how he got his number without Dick texting first. What Dick did know, was that he didn't want to keep him waiting.

_I'll see you then._


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Jason share a moment and Dick meets up with William

Dick emerged from his room ready to take on the day. The manor seemed rather quiet as he found a lack of footsteps and loud voices outside of his room. The lack of the latter was a good thing, since Dick was bothered by it.

With an empty stomach barking at him, having breakfast sounded like a good plan. Dick made it to the stairs when he saw Jason at the bottom, ready to come up. Jason looked at Dick with relief.

"Good, you're up." Jason noticed. "Care to join me?"

Dick and Jason sat at the table with some of Alfred's famous blueberry pancakes. Jason carefully watched Dick, a few questions on his mind.

"How are you feeling after our little revelation yesterday?" Jason asked. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about?"

Dick looked up from his plate.

"I just want to know why you didn't say anything." Dick admitted. "I know you've been pretty straightforward when I've asked, but I can't help but wonder why you didn't say anything sooner."

That was a fair enough question. Given what little Dick remembered about the current events, it only made sense that he'd ask that. Especially since Dick had a point when stating his upfront nature of the situation.

"Well, when I brought you to the hospital after the first abduction, you made us swear to get along while you recovered." Jason recalled. "Trust me, I wanted to tell you, quite frankly I wanted to deck him for keeping this from you. However, I know I have to be on my best behavior, whether you remember our deal or not."

"Oh."

Dick looked back down, slightly disappointed. Jason felt a little bad that he reacted that way, but it was the truth.

"But you know what? What he doesn't know, won't hurt him."

Dick bounced back up intrigued.

"I'll fill you in a bit, but what I tell you has to stay between us, and if you think of anything that you might thing is a memory, ask. Understand?"

Dick liked Jason's offer, and could understand the push for him to ask. Keeping it a secret was something he could handle, aware that Bruce did want it handled differently.

"Understood."

~

Jason relayed more about Dick's abduction to him to promising results. He stated how he recalled finding Dick, broken and bleeding on the streets, when he brought Dick to the hospital. How Dick was traumatized by it and how Damian was used to lure Dick to Slade for his second capture. He even mentioned Slade's death, which he claimed had to happen. It shook Dick up a little, but he stated that didn't remember it and that he'd be okay.

Surprisingly though, Dick did remember a little of it. He remembered what Slade looked like, both in civilian life and as Deathstroke. He remembered getting snatched at the police station he worked at and a sense of fear and dreed for the longest time. He even remembered sustaining stab wounds and a busted ankle that were the result of his first capture.

Though morbid, it was good to know that something was popping up. Thankfully on top of that, Dick was able to recall something pleasant. It wasn't anything big, but it did have significance. It was a tidbit from Jason's early Robin days. Dick recalled the day that he gave Jason his old Robin uniform.

That was a day that Jason could remember fondly. Though he would never admit it. He remembered the mission that day and how happy he was to get Dick's approval. Giving Jason his uniform was like a rite of passage and Dick's number was meant to be a way of communicating when Bruce didn't. Jason didn't use it much before his death, but admittedly, he appreciated it.

~

Dick appreciated the time spent with Jason sharing memories. He may not have been able to recall much, but the effort put into it was appreciated. Dick also enjoyed the fact that Jason was filling him in where Bruce wasn't. Sure, it had to be kept secret, but he still appreciated it.

But now, Dick had a promise to uphold. He didn't forget that he agreed to meet up with William. Dick was a little nervous to meet up with him, but he knew he should uphold his end of the deal.

Dick knew that Bruce and Damian were out on patrol and didn't dare to see if everyone else was busy or sleeping. To avoid raising any suspicion, he snuck out the window. Dick had done it before to sneak out on dates or parties, and while it didn't have an absolute success rate, he had gotten away with it a few times. And this night was no different.

As he landed on the ground he was thankful that he didn't seem to draw attention to himself. After a brief scan of the area, Dick bolted off the property.

Dick made it to the park without trouble. He didn't run into Batman or Robin, keeping himself out of sight. Dick spotted William without much trouble. He was the only in the park so it wasn't like it was going to be someone else.

"Hey." Dick softly greeted.

"Hello." William greeted with a grin.

"What did you want to address?"

Dick wanted to get to the point, uncomfortable with being out too long. William nudged towards a bench, guiding him there.

"You look so much like them." William observed. "You're parents."

Dick was a little puzzled by the statement.

"You have my hair and the strong facial features, a common gene in the Grayson bloodline and expressive body language, buy you have your mother's eyes and expression."

"Oh… kay?" Dick replied with confusion.

"It must have been so hard to lose them."

"It was, but Bruce helped me through it. It still hurts, but it's gotten easier to manage."

William shot him a sympathetic gaze. The brief retelling, though hopeful, was still unfortunate.

"I wish I was there to help."

Dick sighed. He appreciated the sentiment. It wasn't too uncommon of a statement, but it

"What's done is done."

William pulled something out of his pocket. He handed it to Dick who studied it.

"Here."

It didn't take long for Dick to recognize what it was. An old wristwatch in pristine condition. It was frozen in time. The last time Dick had seen it was the night of his parents' deaths.

"This is…"

"I want you to trust me, and in time, I hope you will. I want this gift to be a start."

William pulled Dick off of the bench and brought him towards the center of the park. He placed Dick in front of him before getting into a stance.

"Now, I'm going to teach you how to fight. I know you have it in you, you are my great grandson after all."

"But I know how to."

"I know, but I think you could use the practice. Something tells me Bruce Wayne is not aiding you in this. Plus, you might like what I have to teach."

Dick had a feeling that he wouldn't get much farther, so he got into his own stance.

"Okay. Let's do this."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Dick have a memorable moment and Dick learns a little more about his great grandfather.

Finding Bruce wasn't hard to do. He was nose deep in the morning newspaper, hanging out in the study. Dick quietly snuck into the room, sliding into the chair across from Bruce. He sat there, swinging his feet, waiting for Bruce to notice him. Bruce set the paper down, a little annoyed with Dick's motion. He got a good look at Dick's smiling face before pressing forward.

"What's up?" Bruce inquired.

"Do you remember adopting me? Like officially?"

The question was a little curious, shocking Bruce slightly. Bruce recalled the memory, admittedly it was one that he favored and was quite fond of, but he wasn't sure if Dick remembered or if he was just asking out of curiosity.

"Of course I do. Do you?"

Dick blissfully smirked, placing a hand on the back of his head.

"Yeah actually, it came to me last night. I recall it happening when I was Nightwing. I was visiting you when you presented me with the adoption papers. You said, while you've always seen me as a son, it was the one way that you show that you loved me. You had a hard time saying that last part, but I knew that's what you meant. We both signed it and it was officiated pretty quickly and I couldn't have been any happier."

Bruce was impressed with how clearly Dick was able remember the event. Even adding his own personal sentiment to the memory was pleasant.

"That's right."

Dick' demeanor shifted. Glee was soon replaced with troubled guilt. His pride short lived. His gazed turned to his lap, watching his hands curl together.

"I'm sorry." Dick apologized.

Bruce was startled by the apology. It was out of the blue, just as much as Dick's emotional shift was.

"What are you apologizing for?"

Dick seemed anxious as his body started to shake. It didn't help that Dick let tears form and letting some fall.

"Because of my injuries and memory loss, I've been such a burden to you." Dick assumed. "I've forgotten so many good times and some bad. I've unintentionally taken advantage of your time because I can't seem to get anything right. I've lost so much that was precious to you."

Bruce was dumbfounded by the sudden angst from his eldest. He got up from his chair and approached Dick. He knelt down to compensate for Dick sitting, placing both hands on the side of Dick's face so that Dick would look at him.

"Don't say that." Bruce gently asked. "You're not a burden."

"But I'm useless."

"You're not useless. Just hurt."

Dick didn't respond to that. Unnecessary guilt was still an every present problem.

"Come here."

Bruce wrapped his arms around Dick and pulled him in for a hug. Bruce's thumb circled around Dick's back as Dick welcomed the comfort.

~

Dick tiredly strode down the hall. He wanted a little time to himself as he headed to his room. Everyone was preoccupied, be it because of patrol or in Tim's case, a slight fever. Dick wanted to interact with everyone, but he wasn't allowed in the Batcave and no one want him to get sick. Tim included.

A vibrate caught his attention, causing him to pull out his phone. It didn't take long for him to realize who messaged him.

_You are so gifted. With time, I believe you could be something special._

The text was a pleasant one, causing Dick to smirk. He sent a response, deciding to meet up with his distant relative. Dick just wanted to talk with him briefly, nothing more. He had something that he wanted to find out.

~

The park was as quiet as ever at this time of night. The light squeaking of swings quietly echoed through the park. Dick was lightly swinging back and forth as William simply sat on the swing watching him.

"Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?" Dick inquired, causing William to shoot him a slightly confused glare. "I don't really know you. As much as I'd like you trust you, I don't know much about you."

Upon hearing Dick's confliction, William understood his inquiry. After all, it was true that Dick barely knew much about him outside of the fact that William was his great grandfather. Dick deserved something. He sighed, looking in front of him.

"I was a pretty well of kid before my father died." William began. "After he died my mother and I fell on hard times. She worked at a textile plant as I made money off of juggling in secret. I met Nathaniel Haly, C.C. Haly's father, who offered me a job in his circus." William chuckled in amusement. "Quite a small world given your upbringing. Though I suppose the circus was our family legacy." They both chuckled at William's little quip. "I travelled with Haly for a while, sending money to my mother when I could. When I returned to Gotham, I met Amelia, your great grandmother and we fell in love. Unfortunately, her father wasn't too fond with our romance and banned me from seeing her. Though admittedly, Amelia was also pregnant with your grandfather at the time. I took your grandfather not long after he was born for our safety and Haly agreed to help raise him. That's the basics of my history."

Dick was anxiously intrigued by William's story. Something about it was eerily suspicious, but Dick couldn't help but enjoy it.

"Do you ever wish you could go back and change anything?" Dick asked.

William contemplated Dick's question for a moment.

"Looking back, I'm not sure." William admitted. "Sure, there's somethings I'd like to change, but I can't complain with where my life's at right now. I may not have met you if I didn't make the choices I did. You might not have even existed."

Dick smirked. He hadn't thought of that.

"True."

William grabbed Dick's shoulder. He appeared happy with their moment of nostalgia.

"I think we should have more of these conversations. If you ever want to ask me something, feel free to, but don't let me be the only one. I want to hear about you too."

"You've got a deal."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> William finishes up another training session and deals with a messenger of the Parliament.

William continued with Dick's training. Dick was showing remarkable progress, picking up William's techniques well. He was proud of his great grandson, not shying away from giving him praise. They had been spending several nights practicing. Whenever William changed it up, Dick adapted quickly to it.

Dick huffed, planting himself on the bench. The training wore him out to say the least. William sat beside him almost unfazed by the work that they had been doing.

"Why are you teaching me all of this?" Dick asked. "Not that I'm complaining. I'm just curious."

"I want you to be able to defend yourself." William stated. "You have the potential, given you're genetics. Plus, I believe it gives us something to bond over."

Dick nodded, understanding his reasoning. It made sense, though he hadn't admitted to having some training from Bruce for his work as Robin. However, this training was different. It was more offensive, more refined. Dick was familiar with some of the techniques, but the form was more lethal in nature. Strikes had the potential to kill, something that Dick wasn't taught. He wanted to ask William about it, talk to him about it, but he wasn't that comfortable just yet.

"How is your memory?" William asked, changing the subject.

"Still hazy." Dick admitted. "I'm getting filled in, but I can't visualize the memories. I can't recall the feelings attached to them. I can't grasp the memories."

Dick felt a little defeated. As much as he loved everyone filling him in, he missed having the memories. He felt lost, like he had lost a part of himself. William felt this, and decided to lift the mood.

"You'll get your memory back. Eventually."

"You really think so?"

"I know it will. It just needs time and possibly the right triggers."

William stood up. He pulled Dick up with him. William quickly scanned Dick, taking in his fatigue. From that William could tell that it was a good place to stop.

"Get some sleep." William requested. "You've earned it. Tomorrow we will change it up, and I would like to do some more trust building."

"Okay." Dick accepted with a grin.

William patted Dick's back, prompting his departure. He watched Dick run off. Once Dick was out of sight, William's expression changed slightly, taking on a more somber tone.

~

William traveled down an alleyway, making his way towards where he was staying. The night was less than quiet, sirens blaring in the distance. Suspicion followed William, as though something was creeping around. More so than the usual Gotham chaos.

"I don't need you tracking me Lincoln." William menacingly growled, finally identifying who was following him.

"I know, but I am here on business." Lincoln admitted, stepping out of the shadows, revealing himself as he removed his hood. "The Parliament is growing impatient William. They want an explanation for why you haven't brought them the Gray Son."

William was displeased. Clearly they thought they knew better than he did as far as the situation. They being the impression that Dick would just come along quickly and without question. William disagreed, knowing well that it wasn't that simple.

"They'll get him when I thing he's ready."

Lincoln's frame sighed with disappointment. He was clearly unhappy with William's response.

"I need more than that."

"His memory is fragmented. His trust shaky. If they want an unwilling, rebellious Talon like Calvin, I'd be glad to deliver him to them now. They can deal with the outcome of that."

Lincoln wasn't amused with William's snide comment, finding it unnecessary. Rude above all else. It was clear the William didn't want to answer to Lincoln, wanting to do his task his way, but he had to answer for his delay. William decided to elaborate, knowing that Lincoln wouldn't leave him alone until he did.

"If they want control over him, they're going to have to wait. He has to trust me completely and that takes time. We may be family, but he does have an underlying sense of suspicion. Getting him not to tell the Bat is crucial and I can only imagine how long that will last. He also needs training, which I am personally handling. After all, he needs to know the basics of a Talon at the very least if he's to be any good to us. It takes time to develop Talons, and I am the only one suited to deal with this one."

Lincoln's shoulders slumped. He was impatient, not enjoying William's argument.

"We need him."

"I know and we will have him, but without connecting with him, we will not have him. By the time he does get his memory back, I know that I will connect with him and it will be too late for him to do anything about it."

Lincoln sighed. William had good points, though he was too stubborn to admit it.

"Fine." Lincoln submitted, pulling his hood back on. "I'll let them know. Just know that this is on you, and you are skating on thin ice William."

His threat didn't faze William.

"I'll take it." William accepted. "They can't afford to get rid of me anyways. I'm one of, if not, the best Talon they've got."

"Keep telling yourself that. Just get the job done, or else our next encounter won't be as pleasant."

"You're threats do not bother me Lincoln. They will get my Gray Son."

Lincoln chuckled disappearing into the night. William wasn't bothered by it, nor was he bothered by Lincoln's threats. No matter what, he was going to lure his great grandson in. No matter how long it took. He didn't need anyone to tell him how to do it, and he wasn't about to let the man think he had control over him.

The Parliament could wait. They had to if they wanted a good specimen. It was the same when Deathstroke was hired, who held onto Dick in order to break him for them, but now Dick's submission was going to be on William's terms.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick recalls another tragic memory, but it only gets worse when Jason fills him in on who he saw in his dream memory.

Dick woke up screaming. His frame was frozen as his mind tried to process what just happened. The effects of a nightmare induced memory kept Dick in a dull semiconscious state.

Jason bolted into the room. He noticed Dick's catatonic like state, half wondering if he was even awake. Jason slowly approached the bed. He only had to tap Dick lightly for Dick to flinch, gasping in surprise. His sight frantically bounced for a moment.

"Fire burning. Skin shrinking. Screams deafening." Dick mumbled.

Jason was confused by Dick's banter. All it sounded like was random chatter.

"Woman pleading. Damian screaming. Fingers slipping."

Jason finally pieced together Dick's babble. They weren't random statements, but rather, surfacing memories. If Jason had to guess, the memory of the woman he unintentionally killed. Jason grabbed the side of Dick's face, and forced him to look at him. Dick's eyes were frightfully confused, before taking a moment to process who was in front of him.

"What do you remember?" Jason calmly asked.

Dick stared at Jason horrified. Jason's hand acted as a warm stabilizer, but it only grounded what he remembered. It frightened Dick.

"I… I... I killed someone." Dick tearfully recalled. "I set her on fire and watched her burn to death."

Tears streaked down Dick's face, moving passed Jason's hand. Dick didn't make a sound, breathing heftily.

"You didn't mean to." Jason explained. "You were scared and confused. Slade threatened to kill Damian if you didn't. You tried to refuse his demands, but you were overwhelmed. And when your guard and attention were down, your hand slipped, pressing the button without a second thought."

"So I killed her." Dick deduced.

Beating around the bush wasn't an option. As much as Jason wanted to spare Dick's spirit, he knew he had to be blunt and honest. Jason regrettably sighed.

"You did, but it wasn't your intent." Jason stated. "It was an accident."

"That's awful." Dick regretted.

"But it wasn't intentional. If you want, we can talk about this more in the morning."

Dick nodded. As disturbing as the memory was, he could agree that it would be better to discuss it when they were more alert. He slid back down on the bed, pulling the blanket over his shoulders. Jason stood up, ready to let Dick get a hopefully better sleep. A hand grabbed his jacket sleeve, keeping him there.

"Can you stay with me?" Dick requested.

"Sure."

~

The following day Jason and Dick decided to hang out in the study. Jason was ready to address any question Dick may have had.

"Who was she?" Dick asked.

"Huh?"

"The girl I killed. Who was she? I mean, I kind of remember here from another spotty memory, but I have no idea who she was."

"From what you've told me, her name was Catalina Flores, or Tarantula, as she was known in her vigilante career. She was your student so to speak, but she didn't exactly appreciate or respect you're teachings. Or your boundaries for that matter. You went your separate ways and didn't see her until this incident."

"Why was she even there?"

"Because Slade wanted you to make a choice. He wanted you to either kill Damian, the child that you helped raise, or kill the woman who took advantage of you in more ways than one.

Dick gave Jason a puzzled look. He wasn't sure exactly what Jason was referring to and Jason picked that up quick.

"You said you vaguely remember her from a previous memory, correct?"

"Yeah. She killed a guy I had been tracking and tried to convince me that it wasn't my fault."

Jason knew he had to be honest, but how he approached it had to be as delicate as possible.

"Well it wasn't that cut and dry."

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently, she had a little fun with you while you were immobile physically and mentally. And by fun, I mean taking pleasure in having intercourse with you even when you said no."

"You mean I was…?"

"Yeah."

Dick's expression needed no explanation. Its confused horror was all Jason needed.

"Let me guess, Bruce didn't tell you that."

"No."

The realization really set in, terrifying Dick. His frame almost shrunk in distress.

"Come here."

Jason wrapped his arms around Dick, in an attempt to comfort him. Not only did both memories get painted with a dark light, but the fact that Bruce didn't mention what happened with the man she killed in its entirety, was horrible. Dick didn't say anything, allowing himself to think.

"Don't be too mad." Jason requested. "Obviously this was something he didn't want to put on you. The only reason she was even involved to begin with was to break you."

"Jason!" Bruce's voice boomed.

Dick and Jason's attentions shot towards the door. Bruce was there, and he wasn't happy.

"How dare you tell him that." Bruce growled.

"You weren't." Jason argued. "He needs to know about the good and the bad. Coddling him does nothing. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"I don't care. You've disrespected me for the last time. I want you out of here."

"No!" Dick gasped.

Dick wedged himself between Bruce and Jason, stretching his arms out as though he were shielding Jason. He stood his ground, even when Bruce's glare darting at him.

"He's not leaving." Dick declared. "I don't want him to go."

"Dick I have rules," Bruce stated, "and he hasn't been following them."

"And was it not my rule that you two get along during my recovery? Even now?"

Bruce bit his tongue at that remark. Clearly he either remembered that promise or was told about it. It brought Bruce back to Dick's initial plea. The determined, yet fearful plea for them to get along as he lied in the hospital bed.

"Please I want him here." Dick pleaded. "I want both of you here. You're both helping me, and have been caring for me, but Jason's right, I want to know more about what I don't recall. And I'm not getting that, in its entirety, from you."

Dick's eyes held the same need that he had before. The need for a united family. Bruce could tell that Dick was going to step down, not that Bruce entirely had the heart to argue it.

"Fine." Bruce grunted. "But I'm spending time with you today. I wanted to take you out for the day."

Dick finally took his defenses down, nodding with a pleased smile.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick vents to William a little, and Dick's in for a surprise when he gets home.

Dick quietly sat on the swing, gently rocking back and forth. He contacted William in the hopes of seeing him. Dick didn't want to train, too unmotivated to do so. After discovering more about his past and that Bruce was hiding parts of it from him, Dick wanted to confide in someone outside of the manor.

He could feel something grabbing onto the swing's chains, stopping it. Dick slowly looked up, noticing his great grandfather standing behind him. William appeared calm, happy to see Dick. It was a welcoming gesture, and Dick appreciated seeing a friendly face.

"Hello." William greeted.

"Hey." Dick replied.

William released the swing and moved around. He stood in front of Dick, allowing them to look at each other without Dick having to strain his neck in the process. The pleasant façade masked the trouble that William could sense, causing William to kneel down in front of Dick.

"What's wrong?" William asked.

He didn't give Dick the chance to beat around the bush. Dick wasn't sure if he liked that or not, though it probably was better that way.

"Do you ever feel like something's wrong?" Dick asked. "Like someone's hiding something from you?"

"Can't say I do in recent memory, but I suppose I could understand the feeling."

Dick's head twitched, processing response briefly. Dick's question was rather curious, and William wondered what sparked it.

"What's going on?"

"I found out that Bruce has been omitting things from my memory. Or at least in one instance when I asked about a particular memory."

William didn't initially react. He didn't want to say anything out of sorts, trying to think of a logical excuse.

"You know, sometimes people lie because they think they know better."

Dick looked at William offend, eyes widening in disdain.

"But Bruce never lies to me." Dick claimed. "At least not that I know of. Why would he do that?"

Dick noticed William's puzzled expression, instantly regretting his outburst. He looked down at the ground, ashamed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

With Dick looking down at the night stricken grass confused, William decided to take advantage of the situation. He gently set a hand on Dick's shoulder.

"I wouldn't hide anything from you." William admitted. "I haven't yet."

Dick looked up at him, weary of the statement. While the statement was true, he couldn't help but feel like there was something else lurking beneath William's demeanor.

"Am I wrong?"

"Well no." Dick responded. "However, you still feel like an enigma to me at times. I feel like I can trust you, but I can't say I entirely know you."

William understood the feeling. He had been open with Dick, but Dick wasn't asking much about him either.

"All you have to do is ask. I won't lie."

~

Dick slid in through his window. He quietly closed it, not wanting to wake anyone. His bedroom lights were off, just as he left it.

"You know Master Bruce wouldn't appreciate it if he knew you were sneaking out." Alfred stated, standing in the door was.

His presence startled Dick, who had expected the man to be elsewhere in the event he was up. Dick had hoped he wouldn't be caught, but clearly Alfred had other ideas. Alfred entered the room, closing the door and turning the lights on as he did. Alfred's expression was indifferent, but he was concerned none the less.

"I know." Dick quietly sighed. "I just need a little fresh air. I need a change of scenery."

"I am well aware of your need to stretch your leg Master Richard," Alfred admitted, "but sneaking out this late is not the way to do it. Do you know how concerned Master Bruce and Jason would be if they knew?"

Dick started to panic slightly, hoping that Alfred wasn't implying that he was going tell them.

"Please don't tell them. I just wanted a little freedom."

Blue eyes pleaded with Alfred. Dick didn't want his secret out. Not now.

"I won't tell them, but when they find out, I won't deny it." Alfred promised.

Dick sighed in relief. He could accept the honesty from Alfred, knowing that he wouldn't lie when push came to shove. Not even the use of when bothered Dick, knowing that there was always a chance that Bruce and Jason would find out. The conversation seemed to end there as Alfred opened the door.

"I just have to know. Where were you?"

Dick had to think of something quick. Something that wouldn't reveal too much.

"At the park. I wanted to use the swings without the populace of the morning crowd."

It wasn't a complete lie. He was where he said he was. Why he was there was altered a little, but that was the only thing that was tampered with. Alfred seemed to accept the response, not wanting to question further. Not even about the time of day that Dick was doing this at.

"Very well." Alfred stated. "Get some sleep Master Richard. You have a big day tomorrow. Master Bruce wishes to take you out for the day, and I think I'd be wise if you got some sleep."

"Okay."

Alfred switched the lights off, leaving the room. Dick sighed with relief once more, glad that he got away with his deception. He hated having to twist the truth with Alfred, but he had to since he agreed to keep William a secret for the time being.

Dick quickly changed into a pair of pajamas, hopping into bed soon after. The thought of hanging out with Bruce was interesting. The question of why Bruce decided to take Dick put was the main thought. Why so sudden? What was his reason for doing so? These thoughts swirled around as Dick fell into a deep sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce and Dick spend some quality time together.

The wind franticly shook Dick's hair as Bruce drove through Gotham. He and Bruce started the morning with a wonderful breakfast courtesy of Alfred. During which, Bruce outlined his plan for the day. It involved going to the park, lunch, and a surprise location. All good ideas for the two of them.

The park was not too busy for the time of day that it was. There were a few couples and some mom's strolling their babies around. People were playing fetch with their dogs and mothers watched their toddlers playing on the play equipment. It was a lot more active and a little more pleasant than when Dick visited at night.

Dick relished in the breeze, sitting on a bench to soak in the daily interactions of everyone else. The people were social and a little curious as to the sight of Bruce and Dick hanging out at the park. Bruce quietly sat down beside him, prepared for the inevitable.

"Are you still upset with me?" Bruce asked.

Dick kept his gaze at the scene in front of him. His attention was set on Bruce, but he wanted to have a visual of their surroundings.

"No." Dick sighed. "To be honest, I wasn't really mad at you to begin with. Just hurt." Dick's head twitched slightly. "Don't get me wrong, I get it. You want to keep me safe. If it was up to you, I'd be moving forward instead of dwelling on the past." Dick looked at Bruce. "But I can't live that way. I need my memories Bruce. The good and bad."

Bruce patted a hand on Dick's back.

"I know, but I don't want you to live with all the trauma. It was awful the first time."

"But isn't trauma a part of life?"

There was no denying Dick's statement. Especially in a place like Gotham. However, Bruce disagreed with Dick having to carry his past.

"It is, but if I could keep one of you away from it all, from the past, I want it to be you."

Dick half expected Bruce's response. While he was puzzled by Bruce stating that he wanted Dick to have the benefit of erasing the trauma, he understood the sentiment. Dick was the only one who could at the moment.

Dick stood up, stretching. He wanted to enjoy the weather and park itself. The day shouldn't be wasted, not in Dick opinion.

"Why don't we go on the swings? Like we used to."

Bruce grinned, standing up.

"Sure." Bruce agreed. "Why not?"

~

After lunch, a colorful barrage of a circus tent greeted Dick and Bruce. A poster promoted the arrival of Haly's Circus. Apparently, they were in town and Bruce wanted to surprise him with a visit.

Haly was happy to see Dick. It had been quite a while since Haly had been in town and was happy to see Dick. As were the other members of the circus. Even the ever aging Zitka was happy to see him, parading over to him like he was her child.

With everyone's greetings underway, Bruce allowed Dick to catch up with Haly on his own. After filling Haly in on Dick's recent memory loss, over an unintended accident, Bruce wanted to investigate the grounds.

"Do you know anyone by the name of William?" Dick inquired.

"Can't say that I do." Haly admitted. "I might if you give me some sort of description, but I don't think I do. Why?"

Dick had his investigation in check, knowing where his boundaries were. At face value, it was a simple inquiry that needed a simple answer. What it actually was, was one final fact check.

"I'm doing some investigating into my family tree, out of curiousity, and that was a name I came across."

Haly silently pondered the statement, trying to recall something. He was trying to put a face to the name. It took a minute for him to get a spark.

"Now that I think about it, I think I do." Haly admitted. "But only in passing." He thought about the name again. "My father mentioned a man named William. William Cobb if I am correct. He was one of my father's greatest acts and my father helped William through a tough financial situation. Come to think of it, my father said he stopped coming around not too long after your grandfather was taken in by my father. Maybe William was your great grandfather. Though, I couldn't confirm it."

The insight, though not much of anything new, did give Dick a little more insight into who William was. At least from an outside perspective. Dick could understand Haly's lack of knowledge, given the facts presented.

"But enough about that. How are you, my boy?"

"Outside of the memory loss, pretty good. Just trying to get back on my feet."

"That's good. At least you're on the mend." Haly bopped Dick's shoulder before looking back. "I gotta go. Frank's upsetting Zitka and I'd better get over there before she gets really angry. It was nice seeing you Dick. I hope we can meet up again soon."

Haly departed from Dick, going to prevent the potential scene. Dick watched, making sure he got over there in time, before turning his attention in front of him. He didn't stray far, knowing that Bruce would have to find him. His focus was on a fence with the back side of an apartment building a few feet away. Something etched in graffiti on the building caught his eye as Dick inched closer to the fence.

Dick was fascinated by the image in front of him. Though on the other side of the street, he could clearly make out what it was. The image of two piercing owl eyes intrigued him. Below it read an interesting line.

_Beware the Court of Owls_

Bruce noticed that Dick wondered off, approaching him. He noticed the inscription that Dick was looking at, dreading what it read.

"Who are the Court of Owls?" Dick asked.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce briefly explains the Court of Owls and Dick and Jason have a fun spar.

Bruce brought Dick home so that he could answer his question in private. Given Haly's Circus being a haven for Talons in the past, he wanted to keep Dick away from it while on that topic. Bruce led Dick to the study, where he saw it as the best location to discuss it. They took a seat across from each other.

"The Court of Owls is a group that is believed to be a legend." Bruce began. "Gotham's pinnacle tale. Did your parents ever tell you the tale?"

"Not that I can remember." Dick admitted. "I've heard so many on our tours that I can't say that I recall them all."

Bruce wasn't sure if he should be glad about that. He couldn't help but wonder if they, Dick's father especially, got the chance to. If they did, how young was Dick for him not to remember? If they didn't was it because they didn't get the chance to? Or did they want to protect him by opting out of telling him it? Either way, Bruce knew he had to recite it now.

" _Beware the Court of Owls, that watch all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadowy perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whisper of them or they'll send The Talon for your head_."

Dick didn't respond to the recital, curious about it. Part of him felt like he had heard the poem at some point, but he couldn't place it. He wondered if he might have heard it from Bruce since he had no memory of his parents telling him. Dick also began to wonder about the validity of the poem, wondering about the Court of Owls itself.

"Are they real?" Dick asked.

"Some people believe so." Bruce answered.

"Come on Bruce. Are you going to tell me that in all your years of being Gotham's dark angel, you've never came across proof for or against such a group?"

Bruce knew Dick wasn't going to let it go until he got an answer. An answer Bruce knew he could skew. He may not have liked the idea after being exposed for doing just that, but Bruce knew he could give Dick enough information so Dick could ask anything about it if he recalled anything later.

"Let's just say that I've had my experience with this group, but there's nothing to worry about now."

Dick wasn't sure if he could take Bruce's response, feeling like he wasn't saying something. However, Dick didn't feel an urge to press on with the subject. Bruce told him what he wanted.

"Okay."

"Do you want to join me for a little spar session?" Jason interrupted.

He was standing in the doorway. How long he had been standing there wasn't known, but he seemed indifferent to their conversation.

"Yeah, I'd love to."

"Good. How about we take it outside so that you get out of the house? I'll meet you there in a second."

Dick nodded before running out of the room. Bruce didn't get a chance to stop him as Jason entered the room. Jason's demeanor shifted to a stern one, upset by something.

"So you told him about the Court of Owls?" Jason noted.

"Yeah." Bruce confirmed. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that you're upset with that."

"No. Of course not. I do have issue, however, with how you've answered it." Jason sighed, bothered by what he was going to mention. "Why didn't you tell him about his part in it?"

Jason's question offended Bruce. While Jason didn't know the reason that Bruce omitted that, Bruce didn't like the line of questioning with Jason's polarizing approach.

"Do you want to tell him 'By the way, you were supposed to be one and they're still looking for you'? 'Oh and your great grandfather was one'? I can't do that to him."

"He deserves to know."

"Don't you think I know that? But until he asks, I'm not going there."

~

Dick was ready for their sparring session. He hadn't with Jason, at least not in a while, so Dick was a little nervous. Jason's form seemed more offensive, a style that made sense to Dick. Dick, on the other hand, wasn't sure which form to use. He would love to use what he learned from what William, but he wasn't sure what kind of attention that would bring. However, he didn't want to rely strictly on his former Robin training as well. In his mind, a mix of the two could be implemented.

The winner would be the first to pin the other down for ten seconds. They two clashed with fiery determination. Jason proved to be a tough opponent, even if he wasn't going all with Dick. Jason was able to knock him over. Acting fast, Dick used his legs to flip Jason off of him. Jason elbowed Dick, knocking him over. They both got up, but Dick didn't let that stop him.

A subconscious tick took over Dick, sending him into a fight or flight surge. He hit Jason with the palm of his hand, following it up with. Jason followed up with some blocks and hits. Dick's hand took on a claw like shape, scratching at Jason. It was followed up by Dick taking a fluid stance, attacking with a flurry of hits. Jason was able to deflect most of the hits, but didn't expect Dick to come at him like an assassin.

Dick knocked Jason down, taking advantage of Jason's startled demeanor. A hand shot towards Jason's chest, stopping an inch above his heart. Dick realize what he had done and it frightened him.

"Where did you learn that?" Jason gasped.

Dick didn't answer, spooked by what he could have done. Instead, Dick got off of Jason and bolted towards the house. Jason got up, but wasn't able to catch Dick before he got into the house.

"What was that all about?" Jason wondered.

"There's something I think I should tell you." Alfred stated, standing by the doorway.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick asks William a few questions and Dick's secret begins to unravel.

It didn't take long before William showed up at the park. Dick was there and noticed him immediately. Dick approached William without a word. He was a little disturbed, which William found concerning.

"What's wrong?" William asked, placing his hands on his great grandson's shoulders.

Dick fidgeted, gently crossing his fingers. He looked down, ashamed about something.

"I'm concerned about the training we've been doing." Dick admitted. "I was sparring with one of my brothers, and had I not had control, I fear that I could have killed him."

William figured he could understand the sentiment, even though he wasn't too familiar with having such a big family. However, he subconsciously hoped that it could have gone farther. It would have been interesting to see if Dick could actually kill someone at this stage. Since he didn't, William knew he would have to work that out. But for now, it was best to applaud Dick for showing some kind of restraint.

"You showed restraint." William praised, grabbing Dick's wrists. "What I've been teaching you, though fatal, is meant to be precise and controlled. The fact that you were able to stop yourself shows you have control."

"But the techniques I've been learning could kill someone."

"Something that might become a necessity when defending yourself."

Dick's head twitched. He understood William's perspective, but with how Bruce taught him, the thought of killing was so foreign to him. Killing was never an option to him, accidental deaths being a rare occurrence, and he never thought he's have that as an option now. Dick decided to leave it at that, having another topic he wanted to address.

"Can I ask you a question?" Dick asked.

"You just did, but go ahead."

"With how long you've been living, do you know about the Court of Owls and if they exist? I saw some graffiti referencing them and I'm curious."

William was a little shocked by the inquiry. He wasn't expecting Dick to ask that so suddenly, but it didn't seem to be a malicious question. It sounded like it was coming from a place of simple curiosity.

"Yes I know about them and they are very real."

Dick looked up at William curiously. He wasn't fazed by the admission, now that William could confirm what Bruce had already told him. Dick's follow up, however, was what peaked his interest.

"Are you one of them? Are you a Talon?"

William's puzzled gaze shot Dick's face down in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, but after seeing that and thinking about your attire, I thought I'd ask."

William hated seeing Dick ashamed over a question. Even if he was a little surprised by the question, he wasn't hurt by it. There wasn't anything wrong with Dick asking, William just wasn't expecting to explain that part of his background yet. Honesty was the only thing that William could think of using. It was the only thing keeping Dick around.

"I am." William accepted. "Does that bother you?"

Dick was flabbergasted, unsure what to think. Bruce's tone towards them felt slightly negative, but this was his great grandfather. His great grandfather couldn't be a bad person with everything he's done with him. Dick didn't want to think that about William. It was confusing.

"I… I don't know… No." Dick muttered. "I know nothing about them outside of that poem, so who am I to judge." Dick shrugged. "Does that mean that I'm a Talon? Was I going to be?"

"All in due time Dick. All in due time."

~

Dick snuck back into his room. He was able to process everything between the park and home. William was able to talk him through some of the basics of the Court of Owls and Talons. It was enough to calm Dick's suspicions and even gave him an appreciation for the group. Though whether he could agree that the group was wholeheartedly good was debatable.

"Where have you been?" Jason inquired, flipping the light on.

Dick was stunned to see Jason in the room. Alfred was bad enough, but Jason was a whole other story. And after their sparring session, Dick wasn't sure he was ready for this confrontation.

"The park." Dick stated.

"Doing what?"

"Swinging."

Jason approached Dick, crowding Dick's personal space. Jason inspected Dick carefully, looking for something out of the ordinary. A hand brushed through Dick's hair, looking to see if it was hiding anything.

"Okay I was with someone." Dick hastily admitted.

Jason took a step back, giving Dick some space so he could explain himself.

"When I went for a walk all those days ago, I met someone."

"Who?"

Dick knew there was no hiding it any longer. Even if he tried to, he knew Jason would push it until he did. Dick sighed.

"I met my great grandfather, William Cobb, and we've been meeting up in secret." Dick told, but when he noticed Jason's troubled expression, he knew he had to reiterate. "He's a good man and is so nice. It's so nice to know that I have a biological relative out there."

Jason anxiously grabbed Dick's shoulders. Just hearing Dick mention the very relative that he and Bruce were talking about shook Jason. This was bad. Worse considering Bruce didn't know about it. Because of that, Jason couldn't believe what he was going to say.

"You have to tell Bruce about this." Jason demanded.

"I can't." Dick refused. "I promised I wouldn't tell anyone until he said so."

Jason groaned. Of course Dick would agree to that. With what little memory of who William was, it shouldn't have been a surprise that Dick would agree to those terms given the family aspect.

"Bruce needs to know. I'll be there, but you need to tell him. If you're afraid about how he'll react, just know that I'll be there for you."

Dick's eyes shied away from Jason, ashamed by his reveal. Ashamed that he said anything to Jason and ashamed about breaking his promise. And now that his secret was out, Dick could only imagine what Bruce would think. However, Jason sounded genuine. His promise to be there, on Dick's side, was nice.

"Okay." Dick finally agreed. "I'll tell him."

~

Bruce and Damian just got off of patrol. As they walked up the stairs, they were greeted by Jason and Dick. Jason held a neutral stance while Dick was nervously twitching beside him. The sight was rather suspicious.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked.

Jason nudged Dick, causing him to take a step forward. Dick kept his gaze on the floor, fidgeting his fingers.

"I meet my great grandfather," Dick whispered, "and I've been sneaking out to see him."

Dick looked up at Bruce nervously. What he was greeted by was an expression of stifled panic. Bruce was clearly bothered by the statement, but he seemed at a loss for words. Without warning, Bruce grabbed Dick's arm and dragged him across the floor. He tossed Dick onto his room, and slammed the door behind him.

Dick cried out, begging Bruce to let him out. Fists pounded on the door when rattling the knob didn't work. Bruce looked back at Damian and Jason as he held the door knob. They were both stunned by Bruce's action. Jason was pissed on top of that.

"What the hell." Jason growled.

"I agree." Damian added. "Father, why did you do that?"

"You heard him." Bruce coldly lectured. "He met that psychopath of a great grandfather William Cobb."

"Bruce, Dick has no memory of him and hasn't been harmed." Jason stated. "That doesn't give you the right to trap him."

That only seemed to infuriate Bruce more. Added with Dick's frantic cries, Jason's statement was less than welcomed.

"Do you hear yourself Jason? He has been communicating with a killer. Family or not, you know that man is doing something sinister."

"But that doesn't give you the right to throw Dick into a room and cause him to have a panic attack. I may not agree with it myself, but I can't let you do this to him."

Jason pushed Bruce out of the way and opened the door. Dick was on his knees, tears streaming down his face. Jason knelt down and wrapped his around Dick's frame. All Jason could do was whisper an apology to Dick.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason spends time with Dick and William's plan begins to unravel.

Jason was comfortable seated in Dick's room. He was sitting on Dick's bed as Dick slept on the other side of the bed. Since Bruce locked Dick in his room, Jason made it his mission to stay be Dick at all times. Dick barely went around Bruce much after that himself, worried that Bruce would tried to lock him up again.

Jason also stayed with Dick at night, making sure that he wouldn't sneak out to see William. Unharmed or not, there was no way Jason was going to let Dick go out and see him. He knew something would happen, they all did, if Dick went back to William. The last thing they needed was for William to spirit Dick away and made him a Talon.

Unfortunately, it made Dick a little more squeamish. With his secret out, Dick felt his whole routine out of place. Jason didn't let him out of his sight and he was too weary of Bruce to try getting away from him.

The only ones who were staying out of it as much as possible were Tim, Damian, and Alfred. They were in the middle of it and they each had their own thoughts about the situation. Granted, they all had sides that they were on that they weren't as vocal about, but they all had an interpretation of the situation.

Though disagreeing with his father's entrapment ploy, Damian for the most part was on Bruce's side. He wanted Dick safe and away from danger. The Court of Owls was a dangerous threat and the fact that Dick was conversing with a Talon was unsettling to Damian.

Tim was on Jason's. Mostly because he agreed with Jason. Honesty and care was all that Dick needed. Letting Dick experience the world and his memory in its entirety was key to Dick's movement forward. Even if those memories didn't truly come back to Dick.

All the while Alfred was somewhere in the middle. He understood both Bruce and Jason's perspectives, but at the end of the day, he cared for Dick's wellbeing more than anything. He wanted Dick to be happy and healthy and continued to pray that Dick memory would come back and forgiveness could be given.

Dick shuffled in his sleep, catching Jason's attention. Dick stretched out, signifying the end of his slumber. He rubbed his eyes and sat up. It didn't take much for him to realize that Jason was beside him conscious.

"Good morning." Jason greeted.

"Morning." Dick yawned. "Please tell me you got some sleep."

"A power nap."

Dick pouted. He was both offended and concerned about Jason's lack of sleep.

"Don't you trust me?"

"I trust _you_ , but I don't trust the company you tried to keep."

Dick huffed. Jason's defense was admirable, but Dick couldn't help but feel a little trapped. He stretched once more before sliding off of the bed, dragging his hand on the nightstand. Jason glared at Dick curiously.

"I'm taking a shower." Dick stated.

When Jason gave him an eased stare, Dick shuffled towards his bathroom. He grabbed some clothes and a towel before entering the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Dick took a seat on the toilet, reaching over to turn the water on. He let it run, as he pulled his phone out of the folds of the towel. Dick activated it, checking it for any signs of life. A message notification lingered on the home screen. Clicking on it, he investigated it intently.

It was from William. He was inquiring about Dick's whereabouts and that he missed Dick. It was a sentiment that Dick could admittedly share with him. One the one hand, Dick could understand the concerns about him hanging out with a supposed assassin, but he couldn't help but feel like he was missing something by being away from William.

_How are you?_

_W.C._

Dick scribbled a reply up.

_Good._

_I'm sorry for my absence. They found out and haven't let me out of there sight. I miss you._

_D.G._

Dick patiently waited for a response.

_We have to take care of a few things. I will come get you tonight._

_W.C._

Dick was curious about the response.

_What do we have to do?_

_D.G._

_I will explain later._

_W.C._

William seemed to leave the conversation at that from what Dick could assume. He wasn't sure what to expect, but didn't feel like pressing the issue farther. With Jason in his room, Dick knew not to stall any longer, opting to take a shower like he said he would.

Dick exited the bathroom feeling refreshed. With a new set of clothes on, he was ready to tackle the day. Jason watched him curiously as Dick approached the bed.

"What took you so long?" Jason inquired.

"Oh, you know, I got too comfortable under the water." Dick lied. "Contemplating life under the running water."

"An understandable predicament."

"Do you want to go outside?"

"Sure. How about we go to the zoo?"

Dick nodded feverishly.

~

William was outside the manor. He had just arrived and found the window for Dick's second floor bedroom. The light was on and William was waiting for a sign.

"Quit hiding." William sternly ordered.

Out of the shadows emerged another Talon. Another, impatient Talon.

"I am getting him now." William stated, answering the silent question.

"You'd better." The Talon spoke. "We can only hold his chamber for so much longer before the process has to be restarted."

"I know."

Movement emerged from the room. William could assume that this was his cue.

"Go."

The Talon disappeared leaving William alone. William stared at the window, waiting for Dick to open it. He didn't have to wait long as Dick approached the window, scanning outside, before opening it.

"Come in." Dick welcomed barely above a whisper.

William pulled out a grappling hook and aimed it for the rim of the window frame. He climbed up the building without issue. He acted quick and quietly, making sure not to draw attention to himself.

"Jason's in the shower so we only have a few minutes." Dick stated.

William studied the room. The room gave William a peak of the manor's interior. It seemed like a nice enough room to house his grandson, not that William wanted him living here. Dick watch William with silent curiosity.

"So what's going on?" Dick awkwardly asked.

"We need to go." William stated, giving Dick his attention. "It's time you became a Talon."

Dick felt a surge of anxiety at the sudden declaration. He didn't want to go. He didn't even consider the option.

"What? No! Why?"

William could feel Dick's panic. As much as he didn't want this reaction, William was running out of time. He wanted more time to lure Dick to their base without this reaction. He firmly gripped Dick's arms.

"There's no time argue. You have a higher calling Dick and we can't wait any longer."

Even with how comfortable he was with William, Dick hated the insinuation. He only knew the basics about Talons and the Court of Owls, but even he knew they were trained assassins. Dick didn't want to be an assassin.

"But I don't want to be a Talon."

Dick was a rumbling mess of anxiety. A part of William expected this, so he was regrettably prepared. Pulling out a pill shaped canister, he pressed a button. It emanated a gas in his hand and William swiftly cupped over Dick's mouth and nose. Within seconds, Dick passed out, falling into William's arms.

Without a word, William slung Dick over his shoulder. He jumped out of the window and disappeared into the night.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason finds Dick missing and William's plan begins

Jason emerged from his room refreshed. Having enjoyed his shower, he was ready to spend the night with Dick. Dick's door was closed, causing Jason's suspicion to rise. It was open when Jason had left Dick to freshen up. Dick promised he would keep it open. Jason approached the door wiggling the knob. It was unlocked thankfully, but as Jason opened the door, it wasn't going to stay.

Jason scanned the room, noting the lack of a body. Panic started to raise as Jason quickly scanned the room again. He entered the bathroom only to find nothing. As he emerged, Jason heard curtains rustle, causing him to look at the window. His heart sank as he noticed the opened window and something hanging on it.

Jason investigated it with cautious intrigue. Once he realized what it was, and the implications behind it, he burst out of the room. Jason bolted down the stairs and into the Batcave. Bruce and Damian just returned from patrol and were a little surprised to see Jason, who they had believed was with Dick. When they saw his expression, they were instantly concerned.

"He's gone." Jason anxiously revealed. "Dick's gone."

They both jumped in shock. Bruce was the most effected, bouncing from shock to anger. He approached Jason with rage.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Bruce aggressively asked.

"I took a shower and when I got to his room, Dick was gone. His window was open and a grappling hook was latched onto the window." Jason. "I think he was abducted."

Bruce bolted towards the computer. Jason and Damian watched Bruce confused. He went through several screens, pulling up a tracking system. It honed in on an area near the center of Gotham.

"I knew implanting that nanochip in his ankle while it was healing was a good thing." Bruce stated.

Jason's awe was immediately switched out with anger. The invasion of privacy was unreal and begged the question of whether or not Bruce would do something like that to all of them, if he hadn't already.

"How dare you." Jason growled. "Using your resources to violate Dick's privacy."

"Well this 'violation' is what will lead us to where he is Jason. Something you let happen mind you."

"Don't you dare blame this on me. You're the one who continued to hide key details of his past."

"I wouldn't have to if he lost his memory."

"And he wouldn't have lost his memory in the first place if you hadn't hid the fact that the Court of Owls was stalking him."

"Enough!" Damian interrupted stepping between them. "Jason's got a point father, you had not right to implant this in him. However, given the circumstances, it was a good thing that you did. It will make our search easier. But we need to work together if we're going to find him."

Jason groaned, not wanting to vocally agree with Damian. Bruce did something similar, remaining silent as he turned his attention back to the screen.

"I'll go get Tim." Jason decided.

~

Dick slowly started to regain consciousness as his eyes cracked open. It took a moment for him to register what happened and where he was. The last thing Dick recalled was meeting William, who told him he was a Talon. That only left the Dick with the question of where he was. He didn't recognize the interior, its light grey walls were a mystery. Dick tried to move, but his body felt numb, the signs of a sedative no doubt.

It was in that moment that Dick began to panic, twitching was the only movement he could muster. William came into frame instantly, realizing that Dick was awake. He seemed pleased that Dick was awake as though he was afraid that Dick would leave. William gently placed a hand on the side of Dick's face.

"It's okay." William quietly comforted, running his hand through Dick's hair. "I'm here."

"What's going on?" Dick anxiously asked, trying to move. "Where am I?"

"We're where we belong."

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you, you are becoming a Talon."

Dick tried to squirm. The reminder wasn't a pleasant one. Even less so considering he didn't want to.

"But I don't want to."

"It's the only way we can be a family. Don't you want that?"

Dick was frightened by the question. The timing of it couldn't be worse and he didn't want William to question him. Even if Dick was starting to question William's motives. As much as he wanted William to be a part of his family, Dick couldn't fathom this being a good way of going about it. It was cracking the trust that Dick had put into William.

"I do," Dick sighed, trying to keep that impression, "but you captured and incapacitated me. I'm scared."

William sighed, as though understanding Dick's emotional state. His hand's grip tightened slightly, in an attempt to calm Dick down.

"There's nothing to be afraid of." William stated. "You're coming home, into the arms of your real family. Now, I need you to stay calm. This will only take a moment. Think of it as a nap."

William pulled out a dagger, instantly sending Dick into an even worse panic. Feeling slightly came back as Dick attempted to move, but his body wasn't alert enough to really move him. Dick could only watch as William got the blade in position.

Footsteps briefly paused the ritual as William looked up disturbed. He was greeted by Batman and Robin, who also brought Red Hood and Red Robin along with them. None of them looked amused, anger the prevalent emotion. It didn't help that the came in when a dagger was raised above Dick, who was immobile.

"Step away from him." Batman growled.

"I had a feeling you would come here." William dryly observed. "Unfortunately, you are too late."

William didn't hesitate as he swiftly drove the dagger down. It pierced Dick's chest with a wet thud, causing Dick to gasp.

"Dick!" Jason gasped.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Batman and gang plan to rescue Dick, but they may be too late.

Dick let out a deflated gasp as blood spat out of his mouth. His arms rolled down the sides of the pedestal he was lying on. Dick's eyes were faded and his breathing was hollow. He was on a limited time frame and everyone knew it.

Batman, Robin, Red Hood, and Red Robin were petrified by the action. None of them expected William to stab Dick. With all of the preserved trust that he had sown into the oldest Robin, it felt like it came out of nowhere.

William stood over him, satisfied with the job he had done. The plan was unfolding like he wanted. He gazed at the group with a sinister smirk.

"Don't think for a second that I didn't expect you guys to come." William stated, snapping his fingers. "If you'll excuse me, I have a grandson to indoctrinate."

A hoard of Talons made themselves known and they were all on the offensive. Batman, Robin, Red Hood, and Red Robin were disheartened by the added chaps, knowing that they would have to take the Talons down and formulate a plan. William, on the other hand, was prepared as he picked the fading frame of his great grandson.

"I'll leave you to handle them." William stated, exiting the room.

The Talons didn't need to be told twice as they lunged at the group. Their attack wasn't too unexpected, but it was going to be a hassle. Batman took several head on, furious by the distraction. The others dealt with the Talons as they came, knowing that they would be able to take them down.

Red Hood saw an opening and bolted for it. He knew that he wasn't going to get another one soon. He got some distance before turning his attention towards his team.

"I'll go after them." Red Hood stated, knowing that they were short on time.

Red Hood didn't wait for a reply, not having the patience for one. He just ran for the door that William had exited through.

~

William dragged Dick into the chamber for the Talons. One cryogenic tube was ready and waiting. It was his own, which would work given their genetic similarities, while Dick's was being prepared. William was able to press the button to open it and slid Dick inside. Once closed, he pressed a few others to begin pumping Dick with the desired serum.

William watched it fill up, waiting for it to complete. As he watched it unfold, he contemplated the process a little. _It's a good thing I added a blood sample._ William figured. _It's even better that we're a match. They'll get their Talon and with my genetic makeup with the serum, he'll have all of my qualities._ He noticed Dick. _I only wish I had the time to really ensnare you Dick. I would have loved to have a submissive follower. Not that it matters now._

William was snapped from his train of thought by the sound of a gunshot. When he looked up, he noticed Red Hood standing on the other side of the room. His helmet was off and was pissed.

"You're going to regret this." Jason growled.

"You're too late." William reminded with a smirk, walking around the tube. "He's already one of us. Remove him now, and he'll die."

Jason glanced at the tube, taking in Dick's frame before turning his attention back to William. Dick was hurt, but he wasn't conscious. His body was contorting, changing drastically. His body was pale and veins were fading in and out of sight.

It pissed Jason off to see Dick like that. Trapped and defenseless with no foreseeable hope of altering what was happening. Dick didn't deserve that.

"I'm taking him back." Jason growled.

"You can try." William replied.

Jason took the initiative to throw the first punch. William responded with a quick jab. Jason combated William's speed with defense. He was able to work in several hits of his own.

Jason was getting worn out, but William seemed unfazed. Jason hunched over, tired. William slowly approached him. He was eerily pleased.

"You fight well," William complemented, "but in vain. Dick's mine now. He belongs to the Court now."

"He belongs to no one." Jason replied. "He deserves to have a life. He deserves to make his own choices. Something you wouldn't understand."

Jason stormed towards William. He slammed William with an array of punches. Jason let all of his anger out with each hit. Anger for him. Anger for the situation. Anger for Dick, who was used and abused. Who's kindness and lack of memory was manipulated for someone's personal benefit. Each hit was for Dick.

Jason's hits finally seemed to get through, as William was knocked over. He waited for a moment, wondering if William was out for the count. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be in Jason's favor. William stood back up, ready for another round. He only got two steps towards Jason before he was hit by a pellet. It exploded stunning William before another one hit him.

Jason looked over to see where the pellets were coming from. Tim was standing by the entrance with a small weapon in his hand. Jason looked at him curiously. He didn't see Tim come in, but Jason was glad that he did.

"A liquid nitrogen pellet." Tim filled in. "Condensed and frozen to subdue Talons if necessary. He'll be out for a while."

Jason and Tim approached the tube. They both weren't sure what to do. Recalling William's words, Jason knew Dick's life was at risk if not addressed correctly.

Jason looked at the tube, studying the mechanics. It buzzed, draining the fluids out of it. Once cleared, the lid popped off. Jason carefully pulled Dick out, laying him on the ground. As he observed Dick's frame, Jason realized Dick wasn't breathing.

"No, no, no." Jason panicked.

Jason held his hands together and started to give Dick CPR. After a round of chest compressions, resuscitation was implemented before he tried it again. Dick coughed, expelling the fluid from his lungs. Jason elevated Dick, sitting him up slightly so he wouldn't choke. He slowly looked at Jason, his blue eyes replaced with golden ones.

"Jason?" Dick sighed.

"Yeah." Jason replied.

Dick felt sick. Waves of memories flooded him and the realization of what happened hit him. Dick's hand hovered over his mouth as tears began to fall.

"I'm sorry." Dick apologized.

"It's okay." Jason comforted, wrapping his arms around Dick. "It's okay."


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything come to a conclusion.

When everyone got home, things started coming together. Thanks to the serum, which seemed to offer rejuvenation and enhanced strength, Dick's memory came back in full. With it came the memories from his amnesia. Although everyone thought that he would be happy with the restoration, Dick was pissed. He was angry at himself for letting this happen. Angry at William for taking advantage of the situation. Angry at Bruce, who took complete control over what Dick learned about his memories and for forcing him into a room because Bruce was forcefully protective after his reveal.

He almost didn't interact with Bruce if Alfred hadn't intervened. He agreed that what Bruce did was wrong, but Bruce was only doing what he felt was right. As controlling as Bruce was, it wasn't without the best intentions. Dick accepted this explanation, but that didn't mean he liked it. He forgave Bruce, but understandably needed his space.

Dick spent several days familiarizing himself with his new abilities. He noticed that he healed quickly after giving himself several self-inflicted wounds, much to the dismay of the others. Dick also learned that he had enhanced speed and was a little more agile than he used to be. Dick had a feeling that he inherited a lot of his great grandfather's abilities, however, he wasn't able to see if he got William's durability since no one wanted to attempt to hurt him with a strong enough hit and the immortal aspect of it had yet to provide results. A major complaint was the physical altercations that the process did. He could work with the change in eye color, but the veins that periodically appeared really bothered him.

Dick knew he'd be lying if said the whole ordeal didn't scare him. He woke up from memory induced nightmares almost every night. He recalled his near death experience and the manipulation that lead up to it. Dick hated it. Thankfully, there was always someone there to comfort him. It was usually Jason, who Dick thanked for all the help, but Bruce popped in for a slightly awkward encounter.

~

It was a pleasant day and everyone took the opportunity to spend time outside. Tim lounged on the porch, video chatting with the Titans while Damian played with Titus. Bruce studied the yard, while Jason lazily lounged on the grass looking at the clouds. Dick joined him, causing Jason to sit up. Dick was oddly quiet, more than usual, hugging his knees.

"What am I going to do?" Dick sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"About this." Dick gestured towards himself to reference his Talon like appearance. "Because of my naivety, I let myself become the very thing I tried to avoid."

"It'll be okay. I can help with the whole undead thing, since you are our little vampire. Or should I say Owlman because of the bird inspired aesthetic?" Jason chuckled at his quip, noticing Dick's amused smirk. "Plus, Tim got this." Jason pulled out a small test tube. "He got a small amount of the serum you were drowned in and will work to recreate it for the future."

Jason slipped it away and Dick was quiet for a moment. He appreciated that they were planning ahead to aid him. Dick knew he was going to need everything he could get in order to handle this change. However, something else seemed to be bothering him.

"Does your offer still stand?" Dick asked.

"What offer?" Jason inquired, confused.

"The offer you made to me way back when. The one about staying with you."

A spark went off in Jason's mind. It had been a long time since Jason had made that offer to Dick and was surprised that Dick remembered it. If Dick was willing to take it now, he must have had a reason.

"Yeah." Jason awkwardly replied. "Do you mind telling me why?"

"I just need to get out of here." Dick stated. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what everyone's done for me, but I need to get away."

Jason understood the feeling. He spent so much time at the manor that Jason figured that Dick must be getting a case of cabin fever. However, Jason was a little concerned about Dick leaving with his current interactions with Bruce. Forgiven him or not, Dick tried to avoid Bruce at times. Jason knew that Dick harbored some disdain towards Bruce, not that Jason blamed him. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling either given what Jason remembered about their rocky road in the past. That being said, Jason didn't want to see the two at odds.

"Of course, but on one condition." Jason answered.

"What?" Dick inquired.

"You have to make up with Bruce."

Dick looked at Jason with confused curiosity. It seemed to come out of nowhere. At least coming from Jason it was.

"Look, I get it." Jason understood. "You're still a little upset by all of the control Bruce was taking. I don't blame you. I was even upset for you. However, you mean so much to him, and forcing some distance isn't going to help." Jason put a hand on Dick's shoulder. "I'll take you in, but you have to make up with Bruce."

Golden eyes burned into Jason. Dick wasn't sure if he should be upset or confused with Jason's argument. It wasn't common for Jason to try to amend relationships. Especially Bruce. It must have really affected everyone if Jason had to say something.

Dick nodded before getting up. Jason watched his elder walk over to Bruce. Bruce was a little startled by Dick approaching him, asking what was up. Dick was weary, nervous about talking with Bruce. Jason didn't quite get what they were talking about, but by the end of it, Dick was shakily hugging Bruce, clearly crying. Bruce wrapped his arms around Dick, comforting him. It put a smile on Jason's face, confirming that they made up.

He stood up as they finished up, knowing that they were done. Dick approached Jason, water still spotted around his lower eyes. He had a smile on his face and was in a better mood.

"Better?" Jason asked.

"Yeah." Dick accepted.

"Good." Jason threw an arm around Dick's shoulder. "Now I do have a few rules if you're bunking with me. I expect you to eat well. Not just cereal. I expect you to stay by me when out at night, until I say so. Keep my apartment clean and don't even think about being sneaky. Got it?"

Dick was playfully distraught by the rules laid in front of him. They were reasonable, but a little over the top.

"Why so many rules?"

"Because if I don't, you'll run around Gotham rampant."

Dick laughed, not even offended by the accusation. Jason led him into the house. If this was going to work, Dick was going to need a few things.


End file.
